Chasing After You
by Aishwarya
Summary: Au.Female!Naruto/Itachi (side pairings: Sasuke/Hinata and Kakashi/Iruka). Sasuke brings Itachi back to Konoha and suddenly the future looks a lot brighter. I have this story completed and it's 6 chapters long. I'll post one chapter a week. Please review, I'd love to hear your thoughts.
1. We're Both Looking For Something

Uzumaki Naruto was exhausted.

Her back felt like she'd been doing Kaka-sensei's boulder exercises for weeks and she actually had been on her feet for weeks. The damage from Akatsuki's attack had been extensive and all of the hidden villages were relying heavily on each other to recuperate their losses.

Naruto's missions had been endless, she'd get back from one and immediately embark on another, stopping only for a change of clothes and to replenish her supplies. It was enough to drain even her endless stamina and Tsunade had had to force bed rest on some of the more stubborn shinobi who were not blessed with a jinchūriki's endurance.

"Naruto," a familiar voice called, soft but indisputably authoritative and no matter how tired Naruto was, it was a voice she would always be glad to hear.

"Gaara," Naruto greeted, her lips curving into a grin. "What are you doing here? I thought your meetings with Tsunade weren't until next week?"

"We pushed them forward," Gaara's eyes narrowed as they raked over her and Naruto was suddenly very conscious of her rumpled hair and stained jumpsuit.

"You look tired."

"Ne, everyone's tired," Naruto snorted. "But I was just about to go get some ramen. You hungry?"

"Yes," Gaara said and followed Naruto as she led the way out of the Hokage tower and, not to be deterred, carried on his line of questioning.

"You are not everybody, Naruto," the Kazekage said. "Was your mission that difficult?"

"No," Naruto smiled at his fussing. Over the years Gaara had grown from a psychotic, nightmarish reminder of what she could become, to a good friend and then, eventually, he'd become something akin to a brother. Or what she imagined a brother might be like.

"It's not that my last mission was difficult," Naruto explained. "It's just that there's so much to do. I'm sure things will get better soon though. Everyone's been working so hard!"

"Yes they have," Gaara agreed. His own shinobi were similarly exhausted but Gaara knew that there was little time for rest. Even if hard-work and dedication were already Naruto's middle names, she was an asset that Tsunade had to utilise to the best of her potential. It made sense then that Naruto was so run down.

Gaara listened as Naruto kept up a steady stream of chatter as they walked through the village but he didn't miss the way people called out to Naruto in greeting and the way the populace of Konoha, ninja and civilian alike, seemed to draw strength from the sight of Naruto, cheerful and in good health despite all that she had faced. Something in Gaara lightened at such obvious proof that Naruto had gone from being the village pariah to its good luck talisman.

Ichiraku greeted Naruto with his customary enthusiasm and his smile didn't dim when it landed on Gaara. Since Suna and Konoha had joined forces against Akatsuki, the Kazekage had become a familiar face around the village and his help during the final battle against Obito and his allies had not gone unnoticed. All the hidden villages had banded together in the end and the battlefield had sparked some truly revealing partnerships. Speaking of which…

"Has there been any news on Uchiha Itachi?" Gaara asked as Naruto started on her second bowl of noodles.

The last time Gaara had seen him had been when Itachi, Sasuke and Kakashi had been facing off against Obito. Gaara himself had been aiding Naruto in her fight against Kabuto and his army of resurrected nin. When the battle was over Gaara had learnt that Itachi and Kakashi were both suffering from extremely nasty cases of chakra exhaustion along with injuries sustained in battle. Sasuke had not escaped unscathed either.

"He still hasn't regained consciousness," Naruto frowned.

Ever since Sasuke and Itachi had shown up in Konoha, spinning a tale of incredible deceit and betrayal, Naruto had been inseparable from the Uchiha's. Her friendship with Sasuke was stronger than ever but the older Uchiha's sacrifices, and the lengths he had gone to to protect his village and younger brother, had struck a chord with Naruto. Gaara could understand her empathy. If ever there was someone who knew loneliness and sacrifice it was a jinchūriki.

"Has Tsunade said anything more?" Gaara prompted when Naruto trailed off, lost in thought.

"No," Naruto's lips twitched into something only vaguely resembling a smile. "Just that she's done all she can and we need to wait for him to wake up on his own."

"And Sasuke?" Gaara asked.

Immediately Naruto's demeanour changed. She let out an unladylike snort, rolling her eyes and grinning as she recalled her friend's antics.

"Sasuke is terrorising the nurses," Naruto laughed. "He keeps trying to leave his own room to go check on Itachi. Sakura eventually ended up tying him to the bed. I've no idea why they don't just save themselves the trouble and put the two of them together."

"That would make sense," Gaara agreed. "Perhaps you should suggest it?"

"Maybe I will," Naruto smiled at her friend. "I'm actually gonna head over to the hospital now, you wanna come?"

"I have a meeting with my advisors," Gaara declined so Naruto stood and dusted herself off.

"Okay then. See you later, Gaara!" Naruto grinned and waved goodbye as she left Ichiraku's thoughts of the Uchiha's and Kakashi-sensei clouding her mind. It was only after she had disappeared from sight that Gaara realised that Naruto had left him with the bill.

~O

Naruto's smile faded as Gaara disappeared from view. The hospital staff greeted her with smiles that Naruto absentmindedly returned. Peeking into Sasuke and Kakashi's rooms she found them both awake and with Sakura and Gai respectively so she kept her visits short and quickly made her way to Itachi. Both Sasuke and Kakashi-sensei were well on the path to recovery but Itachi…there was something about Itachi's injuries that was taking an incredibly long time to heal and Naruto was worried. Itachi had sacrificed so much for Konoha, it wasn't fair if he couldn't enjoy the peace he'd worked so hard for.

Unsurprisingly, Naruto found Itachi in exactly the same position he'd been in yesterday. His hair splayed out against the pillows, his skin so pale it was almost indistinguishable from the starched sheets and his eyelashes a dark fan against his cheeks. Suppressing a sigh, Naruto sank into the chair beside Itachi's bedside and did what she'd been doing every afternoon since her first visit. She talked.

"I saw Gaara today," Naruto said. "He's grown even taller since the battle. I think he's almost the same height as Kakashi sensei now. Being Kazekage is good for him. He's a lot more talkative than he used to be. Or maybe it's just getting Shukaku's voice outta his head. I would probably have ended up just as crazy as he was if Kurama had been talking to me all this time."

Naruto sighed and let her fingers trail over Itachi's hand, allowing herself the liberty of touching when Itachi was not awake to catch her in the act.

"You have really nice hands," Naruto noted. "I know girls that would kill for fingers as elegant as yours. If you ever decided to take up the piano or something I'm sure you'd be fantastic at it."

Naruto paused and then sighed, chin dropping and shoulders slumping in a rare moment of gloominess.

"The piano," Naruto snorted. "If you were awake you'd probably think me crazy for suggesting something so ridiculous. I bet you like listening to classical music though. It's a bit slow for me but it seems like something you'd like."

Sensing the approach of a familiar chakra signature, Naruto fell silent but glanced up expectantly when she heard the door open. Sasuke slipped into the room, nodding to Naruto before taking a chair on the opposite side of the bed.

"The nurses are gonna throw a fit when they find you here," Naruto told Sasuke and smiled when he rolled his eyes.

"Like I care what they think," Sasuke replied and Naruto raised her hands in surrender.

"Fine, just don't cause a ruckus while your brother is recovering."

"It'll serve the bastard right for taking so long to wake up," Sasuke sulked and Naruto laughed out loud at the beginnings of a pout that formed on her friend's usually expressionless face. Ever since Sasuke had returned he'd been a little more...open around Team 7 and Naruto was grateful and relieved at the change. It was good to have her best friend back.

"It's not like crying all over him is gonna make Itachi recover any faster, bastard," Naruto grinned. "So you should just cheer up already."

"I am not crying!" Sasuke snapped but it was without heat. "And I know you were moping before I came in here, moron. You're the last person to talk to me about cheering up."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Naruto crossed her arms and didn't meet Sasuke's eyes, annoyed that he could read her so well. "I'm perfectly fine."

"Hn," Sasuke snorted but otherwise remained silent. He raised an eyebrow as his gaze travelled over Naruto, taking in her rumpled clothing and messy hair. Her skin was slightly paler than normal and the beginnings of dark circles were beginning to form beneath her eyes.

Naruto flushed slightly under Sasuke's gaze and worried her bottom lip with her teeth before sighing, correctly interpreting his look as one of disbelief.

"Ne, Sasuke, I really am fine." She said. "There's just a lot of rebuilding to do."

"Hn." This time, the grunt that escaped Sasuke was one of acceptance. He may have been a missing-nin for the majority of his career but he was under no illusions as to the sheer manpower it took to recover from an attack such as the one the shinobi nations had experienced.

Naruto smiled, her lips parting in preparation for speech, when a hand clamped around her wrist and her heart stopped. In the next moment it resumed beating at treble it's usual pace and Naruto's gaze flew towards the bed to meet the fathomless eyes that haunted her dreams.

"Itachi!" Naruto stood and moved closer to the bed as Sasuke yelled for a nurse. "You're awake!"

Itachi tried to speak but all that escaped him was a moan of discomfort and Naruto immediately reached for the jug of ice chips on his bedside table and pressed one between his lips, letting the frozen water soothe dry lips and an even drier throat.

Whatever Itachi was gonna say though was lost beneath the hustle and bustle that ensued. Sakura and another nurse rushed into the room, hands already glowing and Tsunade was not far behind. Naruto tried to move out of the way but Itachi tightened his grip on her wrist and Naruto shot Sasuke a helpless look as she moved to stand near the headboard to give the medics as much room as possible. Sasuke, traitor that he was, merely smirked at her before turning his attention back to what Tsunade was saying.

"You don't seem to be suffering from anything other than chakra exhaustion," Tsunade finally proclaimed after a lengthy examination, "and a relatively mild case at that. All that time spent unconscious allowed your body to start healing pretty well."

Itachi didn't speak but he nodded to show he understood what she was saying.

"You'll have already noticed that your eyesight's improved." Tsunade didn't look up from the notes she was making as she spoke. "I recommend you not use your sharingan at all for the next month. By then your eyes should have recovered fully and we can set up regular appointments to keep it that way."

For a heartbeat there was silence and then Sasuke spoke, his voice low and containing a hint of something that sent shivers down Naruto's spine.

"What was wrong with your eyesight, Itachi?"

Itachi met his brother's gaze with little effort, his face giving away nothing as he thought about how to reply but it was Tsunade who eventually spoke.

"Itachi was going blind," she said. "It's a side effect of the mangekyō sharingan, one we'll need to treat you for as well, Sasuke."

"So…all this time…you've been nearly blind?" Sasuke's disbelief was palpable and even Naruto turned to stare at Itachi with wide eyes.

Itachi was one of the most fearsome ninja in the Elemental Nations and to think that all this time he'd been fighting _blind_. It was almost inconceivable. The nurses jumped when a loud thump echoed through the room and Naruto and Itachi glanced over to where Sasuke had put his fist through the wall.

"Yo! Calm down, bastard!" Naruto scolded.

Sasuke merely scowled at both her and his brother before disappearing out the window. Tsunade scoffed, Naruto rolled her eyes and Itachi didn't even blink.

"If you and Sasuke didn't look so much alike, nobody would believe you're brothers," Naruto said to Itachi. "You're like chalk and cheese."

Itachi's lips curved into a slight smirk but he didn't speak, nor did he release his hold on Naruto. Eventually even Tsunade had left and Naruto was alone with Itachi who had finally let go of her wrist.

"So," Naruto's tone was wry and she raised an eyebrow as she sat down and folded her arms across her chest. Itachi had been the furthest thing from subtle. "You wanted to talk?"

"Yes," Itachi's voice was scratchy and he swallowed another ice chip before continuing. "You gave me some of your chakra?"

Naruto froze, her heartbeat going into overdrive because she had been _so certain_ that Itachi had been too out of it to remember that.

"Yes," she eventually admitted, lowering her lashes so she didn't have to see the expression on Itachi's face. "Kurama told me how to do it…you were dying, Itachi and I just…I couldn't not do anything!"

Tsunade had nearly ripped Naruto apart when she'd found out what she'd done because such a procedure was so dangerous that even Tsunade hesitated to perform it. Nobody could argue with the results though, for a few hours Itachi had benefitted from having the healing abilities of a jinchuriki and it was for that reason alone that his eyesight had been restored.

"Naruto," when Itachi eventually spoke his voice was low, carrying a hint of something that made Naruto raise her lashes to meet his gaze.

"Thank you," Itachi said, sincerity obvious in his obsidian eyes and Naruto was ill-equipped to hide the tentative smile that lit her face.

"Ah, it was nothing!" Naruto's laugh was a little high pitched and she hurried to cover it up. "I mean we're on the same side, right? So of course I'll do what I can to help! Think nothing of it Itachi. I have to go now, lot's to do, bye!"

Then Naruto was disappearing out of the same window Sasuke had left the room from and Itachi blinked. He didn't understand why a simple expression of gratitude would make a person like Naruto so flustered, especially since it had been months since Naruto had been uncomfortable in Itachi's presence. With a mental shrug Itachi gave it up as being one of the many quirks that made Naruto…well, Naruto.

His gaze travelled around the room, joy and wonder at finally being able to see his surroundings again welling up in him. Itachi hadn't been labelled a genius by the grace of his good looks. It was no leap in logic for him to connect his renewed eyesight with the gifted chakra of a bijū. Naruto probably didn't fully realise what a gift she'd given him but Itachi would never forget it. With this gesture, and by arguing so ferociously for him and Sasuke to be let back amongst the ranks of Konoha ninja, Uzumaki Naruto had given Itachi his life back.


	2. You Make My Dreams Come true

**Notes** : Thanks everyone for the kind comments. I haven't had a chance to reply to you all yet but I have read them and I'm really chuffed that people seem to be enjoying this fic! Please continue leaving feedback, knowing what you guy's think is super, super helpful :)

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Senju Tsunade felt like laughing with joy. In front of her Homura and Koharu were looking distinctly disgruntled but there was absolutely nothing they could do to sway her decision. The entire village, civilian and ninja populations alike, adored Naruto and both members of the Council were well aware of that. So when Tsunade officially announced her decision to make Naruto her successor, there was little the old geezers could do but smile and nod.

"If you're sure you know what you're doing, Tsunade," Homura's lips were pressed so tightly together they almost disappeared.

"I am," Tsunade fought to maintain an appropriately somber demeanor. "I have never been more sure of anything in my life"

"Well then," the advisors stood to leave, " there is little we can do to dissuade you. When will you make the announcement?"

"I'll tell Naruto tomorrow. Word should spread quickly enough after that."

Typically announcement of the Hokage's successor was done in public. The current Hokage would seek out their chosen apprentice and gift them a ceremonial copy of the Hokage's seal. It was a small ceremony, intended to show the pride and faith that the Hokage had in their chosen successor.

Minato had been having lunch when Sarutobi-sensei had found him. A few ninja had been in the area and their cheers and cries of congratulations had quickly alerted the civilian population as to what the fuss was about and Minato had ended up being escorted by an entire procession of well-wishers as he returned home to stow his new gift away somewhere safe.

Naruto was already twice as famous, both among ninja and civilian populations, as Minato had ever been. Tsunade was sure that, in the entire history on the Hidden Nations, there had never been a more deserving Kage than Naruto.

As it was, the girl in question had no idea her life was about to change so drastically. The day dawned bright and clear, a typical summers morning in Konoha. Naruto was enjoying a much needed day off, luxuriating in being able to sleep in as late as she wanted for once. She had no plans for the day, hadn't even told her friends that she would be free, and so she had the entire day to do whatever she wanted to.

What Naruto wanted, as always, was ramen. Slipping into a pair of black cotton pants and a black and orange t-shirt, she strapped her kunai pouch to her thigh and snapped on her gloves. It was her day off and she was in the village so she didn't bother arming herself further.

Konoha was a hub of activity as she slowly made her way towards Ichiraku's. A lot of the rebuilding was already completed and the sounds of laughter and conversation were music to her ears. Spotting a couple of familiar silhouettes up ahead, a grin curved her lips and she skipped forward to greet her oldest friends.

"Hey Sakura, Bastard," Naruto offered them her biggest shit-eating grin.

"Dead-last," Sasuke scowled. "Shouldn't you be on a mission?"

"Nope," Naruto replied, popping the 'p'. "It's my day off."

"You didn't tell me that!" Sakura scolded, "Ino is free today as well, we could have had a girls day out."

"Sorry," Naruto plastered what she hoped was a sheepish smile onto her face. "I must have forgotten."

Sakura and Ino's idea of a girls day out was shopping til you dropped. Naruto abhorred shopping.

"Oh well," Sakura lamented. "we probably wouldn't have been able to make it anyway. Anko has been looking for you."

"Really?" Confusion marred Naruto's forehead. "What does she want?"

"Did you do something to piss her off, dead-last?" Sasuke smirked.

Naruto had to think about that for a moment, one hand scratching behind her neck as she thought back over the events of the past few weeks.

"I've barely been in the village," Naruto admitted, "so I don't _think_ so?"

Sasuke snorted softly and Sakura rolled her eyes at the reply but they flanked Naruto as she made her way to Ichiraku's.

"I wouldn't worry too much about it then." Sakura said, "maybe its mission related?"

"Maybe," Naruto conceded and her face lit up when she saw Ichiraku's.

"Oh man!" Naruto squealed, "It feels like it's been ages since I had proper ramen!"

"You were in here two weeks ago with Gaara," Sasuke reminded her.

"Like I said, ages," Naruto laughed.

Grabbing her friends by their wrists she pulled them the last few metres towards the ramen stand, extolling all the flavours she was looking forward to reacquainting herself with. Five bowls later Naruto was still going on about how awesome ramen was.

Sasuke and Sakura had mostly tuned her out and were holding a conversation of their own when the canvas entrance rustled and Itachi ducked inside, immaculate in his jōnin uniform.

"Itachi," Sasuke said by way of greeting. "What are you doing here?"

Sakura kicked Sasuke in the shins for the rude comment but both Uchiha's ignored her.

"Naruto speaks highly of this place," was the only explanation Itachi gave.

"You hate ramen," Sasuke pointed out.

"I've never tried ramen," Itachi corrected him.

"What?" The statement broke Naruto out of her ramen-induced haze of joy and she turned incredulous eyes on Itachi.

"Never?" She asked.

"That is what I said," Itachi confirmed and Naruto's jaw dropped.

"How is that even possible?" She exclaimed.

"Ramen is predominantly salt and fat," Itachi replied. "It has little nutritional value."

Naruto gaped at him for a moment before her eyes narrowed.

"Who cares?" She snorted. "It's delicious!"

"Not all of us have a bijū healing us of all ills, including those resulting from a bad diet," Itachi's voice was mild as he settled into a seat next to Naruto.

"Most of us actually have to watch what we eat if we wish to function at optimal capacity, Naruto."

"Optimal capacity," Naruto gave Itachi the stink eye. "I bet you've never even had chocolate."

Sasuke and Sakura looked at each other as Itachi and Naruto continued to bicker about food, not quite believing what they were seeing. Since his return to the village Itachi had behaved pretty much exactly as people had expected him to. He was quiet, solemn and made little to no effort to engage others in conversation. Yet here he was now, chatting to Naruto like they were bosom buddies. Sakura snorted and it quickly turned into helpless laughter making Sasuke lift an eyebrow in question.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke-kun," she said between giggles. "I just didn't expect your brother of all people to be so obvious."

Sasuke glanced towards Naruto and Itachi, one corner of his mouth lifting in a smirk, but any reply he would have made was cut off when the Hokage entered the restaurant.

Tsunade was dressed in her ceremonial robes, her face solemn, and she was flanked by a guard of ANBU in dress uniform. Her hands were in front of her, palms up, and resting in them was a small, elaborately decorated seal. The entire restaurant fell silent as everyone stopped what they were doing to watch.

Itachi immediately stood to attention, the other ninja's in the tent following his example and Naruto's eyes widened as Tsunade approached her. She knew what this meant. Every fucking person in the village, civilian and ninja alike, knew what this meant.

"Uzumaki Naruto," Tsunade announced, "I hereby name you my successor. Do you pledge yourself as the future Hokage?"

For a moment it seemed like Naruto wouldn't get the words out, the blood had drained from her face and her eyes were like saucers. Before long though a soft but clear 'yes' was heard throughout the restaurant and pandemonium reigned.

Sasuke and Sakura pushed their way towards Naruto as people began chanting her name and Tsunade pulled the blonde into a hug.

"Congratulations, brat," Tsunade was saying. "No Hokage has ever had a worthier successor."

"Naruto!" Sakura laughed at the dumbstruck expression on her friends face and pulled her into a hug. "Congratulations!"

Naruto just stared at her, apparently still processing that this was actually happening. In the meantime, people had quickly run onto the streets, spreading the word that the Hokage had chosen her successor. The noise level outside Ichiraku's was growing by the second and all Naruto could do was stand and stare at the chaos around her. Sasuke's fist landed on Naruto's head with enough force to jolt her from her reverie.

"What the hell was that for, bastard?" Naruto scowled at Sasuke, rubbing the at the spot where he'd hit her.

"Snap out of it, dead-last," Sasuke retorted. "You look like an idiot just standing there."

Naruto didn't reply, instead she stared down at the ornamental seal in her hands, her brow furrowing in disbelief. Sasuke hit her on the head again and Naruto's glare could have melted stone.

"You're not dreaming," was all Sasuke said by way of explanation.

"I believe that tradition dictates that you now take that seal back to your apartment," Itachi informed her and Naruto nodded.

"Okay," she said, "that I can do."

She waved goodbye to the Ichiraku's and pushed aside the canvas entrance but the moment Naruto stepped outside she froze. Even her friends were taken aback by the large crowd that had already gathered to wish Naruto well. Homura and Kotetsu, who were observing the proceedings from a vantage point in a building across the street, sniffed and turned away. To say that Naruto had become the most beloved person in Konoha was a bit of an understatement.

"Um, I don't think I can get through here.," Naruto said to her friends, raising her voice to be heard above the crowd. Even the rooftops were quickly becoming crowded as Konoha's ninja gathered to join the parade.

Sasuke and Itachi surveyed the gathered people then looked at each other. Nodding in unison they each bent to brace a hand against the back of Naruto's legs then hoisted her up to sit on their shoulders.

Unable to help herself, Naruto let out a little laugh of surprise, one hand landing on the top of Itachi's head to brace herself. Smirking up at her, the brothers proceeded to make their way towards Naruto's apartment, carrying the girl in question through the streets like a queen being presented to her people.

Somehow, the rest of Naruto's closest friends had already heard the news and were waiting in front of her building. The smile hadn't dropped from Naruto's face since they'd left Ichiraku's, instead growing larger and larger as people continued to join the procession through the streets. By the time they'd reached her apartment, what felt like half of Konoha was gathered around them. Knowing from stories that this exact same thing had happened to her father, Naruto merely waved at the crowd and poked Sasuke and Itachi on the back of their necks to get them to let her go. They both ignored her and Naruto's laughter was lost amongst the noise of the crowd as the brothers carried her all the way into her apartment.

"I'm so proud of you, Naruto," Iruka said, pulling the girl into a hug. "Look at you, all grown up and making your dreams come true!".

"Naruto-chan!" Lee was practically vibrating with excitement. "It is a truly joyous day! You are a true testament to the genius of hard work! I am honoured to know you, Naruto-chan!"

"Ah, well," Naruto stammered, her cheeks heating with embarrassment. "I don't know if I'd go that far but thanks all the same, Lee."

"Naruto!" Ino hooked her arm through Naruto's and dragged her towards the kitchen. "You have to come try this drink we mixed you. It will _blow your mind_!"

"You remember that I can't get drunk, right?" Naruto asked her fellow blonde.

None of the jinchuuriki could, a fact that a small bar between Suna and Konoha was delighted to discover when Naruto and Gaara got it into their heads to have a drinking contest to see who had the higher tolerance. Five hours and dozens of bottles of sake later they were both stone cold sober. Ever since then Naruto's friends had been on a mission to find something that could bypass the jinchūriki healing factor and get Naruto well and truly sloshed.

"I know, I know," Ino brushed off the reminder. "This drink though has this herb from Iwa in it. Very rare and very pricey and guaranteed to have you forgetting your own name in minutes."

"Promises, promises," Naruto teased. "I'll believe that when I see it."

Ten minutes later most of the Rookie Nine were too drunk to even stand and Naruto was laughing her ass off.

"Idiots," Sasuke sighed as he leaned against the wall next to Itachi and watched his former classmates make a fool of themselves.

Only Shino and Hinata had refrained from drinking and the Hyuga was hovering anxiously over her friends. Neji and TenTen had physically restrained Lee when it became obvious that he wanted to partake in the drinking and the bushy-eyebrowed taijutsu specialist was currently bound and gagged to a chair in the kitchen. Kurenai had taken her leave when the drinking started, citing a need to put baby Asuma to sleep. Itachi had a mug of steaming tea in his hands and he glanced at Sasuke as he approached.

"There is no harm in letting loose," Itachi eventually said. "Especially during times of such hard earned peace."

"So why aren't _you_ 'letting loose' then," Sasuke retorted, raising an eyebrow at his brother.

"Because I do not find hangovers relaxing," was the glib response.

Naruto's enhanced hearing picked up the remark and her laughter increased, causing her to practically double over with mirth. Unable to draw enough breath for speech she merely pointed towards Itachi to let him know she'd heard him, her cheeks red and wet from laughter induced tears. Itachi smiled slightly at the sight, just a small upturn of one corner of his mouth but Sasuke caught the action. He thought about it for a moment, remembering the scene at Ichiraku's earlier and a hundred other similar ones he'd been privy to since his and Itachi's return to the village. Oh well, there were far worse things that could happen.

"You should get on that," Sasuke said as he nodded towards Naruto and drew a frown from Itachi, "before someone else does. She's not short on admirers."

Itachi's expression was unreadable as he stared at Sasuke for a long moment. What decision he eventually came to, Sasuke would never know because Itachi merely turned back to watch the drunk ninja make fools of themselves and that was the end of the conversation.

~O

When Naruto had dreamed of becoming the Hokage, she had envisioned legions of ninja bowing to her every whim and civilians going out of their way to curry favour and get on her good side. She'd imagined the position of Hokage to be one of freedom. She'd be the ruler of the village after all so there would be no one to stop her from eating as much ramen as she liked, no one to stop her from going wherever she wanted or buying whatever she wanted. She'd be free to do her own thing all day, every day. Somehow, even as Naruto grew into an intelligent and responsible woman worthy of being called Rokudaime, the administrative duties that came along with a position of leadership never really occurred to her.

Imagine her surprise then when, on her first official day as Tsunade's successor-in-training, Naruto was presented with a pile of commissions that Tsunade had either approved or denied and was told to review them and make notes as to whether she agreed or disagreed. Naruto, who'd imagined meeting ANBU and getting to see all kinds of impressive techniques, was a bit disappointed at being given _paperwork_. She didn't complain though, slipping into a chair with a sigh and pulling some of the documents towards her.

Tsunade was on rounds of the hospital this morning so Naruto was left to her own devices. Pretty soon she was so immersed in her task that she paid no heed to the passing of time and looked up, surprised, when the door was pushed open and Tsunade entered her office. A glance at the clock showed that it was 2:30 pm already and Tsunade smirked knowingly at her.

"How's it going, brat?" the Hokage asked.

"Fine," Naruto stretched out kinks in her back from being hunched over for so long before reaching for a few documents she'd put aside.

"I have a couple of questions for you though."

"Good," Tsunade said as she settled into her seat. "I would have been disappointed if you didn't."

Naruto grinned at her before getting down to business, handing the first document in the pile to Tsunade.

"This was submitted by Kanasake Senzo, a merchant from a village on the border close to Takigakure. He wanted a protective detail as he made business trips to Kusagakura, Amegakure and Ishigakure. Why did you deny this commission?"

"Two weeks ago," Tsunade started to say, "we captured three Iwa-nin who'd crossed the border without authorisation. Do you remember?"

"Yes," Naruto frowned. "They were caught by the Kannabi Bridge memorial."

"And? What else?" Tsunade prompted.

"It was a difficult arrest." Naruto recalled as she rubbed her thumb across her lips, trying to remember as many details about the incident as she could.

"The team in question was ANBU, Yamato-sensei's if rumour is to believed and they took heavy injuries but they gave as good as they got. Hinata was part of the medic team that healed the Iwa nin. She said one of them, Hashimoto I think his name was, had sustained heavy internal damage to his chakra pathways. None of our ANBU that made the arrest had any jutsu or bloodlines that can damage someone's chakra."

"Very good, Naruto," Tsunade said. "What else? What was found in their possession?"

"Well, Kakashi's picture in their Bingo Book was circled so I guess they were targeting him. Probably because they're still sore over the Bridge being destroyed. Iwa really knows how to hold onto a grudge," Naruto complained. Tsunade smirked at her and Naruto grinned, brief and bright, before returning to business.

"Apart from that," she said, "I don't think there was much else of note. Their Bingo Book was out of date because it still listed Sasuke and Itachi as missing-nin. Shikamaru also mentioned something about finding really pure water in their packs. Analysis on it said that it was so clean that they suspected it was chemically synthesised rather than being normal, natural water. They didn't know what purpose such a compound could serve though."

Tsunade waited, letting silence fall, and after a moment Naruto's eyes widened with realisation.

"No!" Naruto gasped, "You think they had access to hero water? That's insane!"

"I know they had access to hero water," Tsunade corrected her. "Our T&I teams are very good at their jobs."

"So Taki is allied with Iwa?" Naruto's disbelief was almost palpable. "That can't be right. Shibuki would never do something like that without very good reason. And he would have opened negotiations with Konoha first."

"You're right," Tsunade nodded. "We were able to confirm that the water was obtained illicitly. We immediately sent notice to Taki, of course, and Shibuki has assured us he will deal with the situation."

"Huh," Naruto sat back and pondered over everything she had learned.

A traitor in Taki wasn't something she'd have expected but it was not much of a surprise either. No matter where you went, there was always someone who could be bought off. Why it would have any sway over Tsunade's decision not to send an escort with Kanasake though was still a mystery. Unless...Kanasake did live very close to the Taki border. It wasn't that much of a stretch.

"You interview anyone who submits a request like this, right?" Naruto asked and Tsunade nodded.

"Did Kanasake by any chance request a specific ninja be part of his detail?" Naruto continued, an idea beginning to take hold in her mind. "A very famous, masked jōnin to be specific?"

"Yes," Tsunade smirked. "Yes, he did."

"What dumbasses," Naruto scoffed. While it was common for people to request ninja with good reputations, or from clans with well-known bloodline limits, for an unknown merchant who was only moderately successful to request someone of Kakashi's calibre was always going to raise a red-flag. A very big, very glaring red flag.

"Have you decided what to do with this information?" Naruto asked Tsunade and the Hokage shook her head.

"No," Tsunade said. "Our efforts have been focused on rebuilding and Kakashi is not going to be out of the village for a while yet. He still has a way to go before he's fully recovered. Kanasake is still in the village, his commission was only submitted last week and we haven't yet told him it's been denied. He's currently under watch by a chūnin team. Why, what do you have in mind?"

"Well, Iwa will probably decide to go after the people close to Kakashi so they can try and draw him out." Naruto theorised. "Also, it's been awhile since Team 7 had a mission together."

"You want to set a trap," Tsunade realised.

"Technically, Team 7 is both the lowest ranked and least experienced of Kakashi's colleagues. It makes sense that we'd be the bait." Naruto replied.

Tsunade scoffed at the thought but took a moment to think over the idea. While Team 7 weren't 'low' _anything_ and their reputations were quickly growing, they weren't quite what anyone would call 'famous' just yet. Also, they were technically genin and would need a jōnin sensei. Itachi was almost fully recovered and it would be a shame to separate the Uchiha brothers when they were only so recently reconciled. In addition, there were a lot of people very valuable to Konoha leaving on this proposed mission. Naruto was officially recognised as her successor and so it would be within Tsunade's purview to send an ANBU team to shadow her. Of course, that was strictly Konoha business and did not need to be discussed with the client.

"Okay, brat," Tsunade relented. "Let's talk details."


	3. Watch You Slip Through My Hands

**Notes** : Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed. I'm really glad you're enjoying the story. I haven't gotten around to replying to you all individually yet but I'm glad that the last chapter went down well. I was a bit nervous about just making up Hokage traditions. Most of you seem to approve of Itachi's characterization which is a HUGE relief. Please keep letting me know what part of the story you're enjoying and constructive feedback makes the world go round. If you do have concrit, I'm more than open to receiving it

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Sometimes, Haruno Sakura wondered how she managed to stay sane when she was surrounded by complete and total maniacs.

They'd been on the road for just over two days now and, while every member of Team 7 knew what this mission was really about, none of them were very worried. After facing down Obito and the Akatsuki, some Iwa-nin with a grudge just weren't all that scary. It helped, of course, that none of the three of them were truly genin.

Kanasake Senzo treated them like the teenagers they were, underestimating Sakura and Naruto because of their gender and ages. Itachi was a name feared throughout the Elemental Nations and Sasuke, by virtue of also being an Uchiha, was afforded the same respect. Sakura and Naruto, though, that was a totally different matter. Naruto, with the way she'd grown up, had no problem letting Kanasake's attitude roll off of her but Sakura just couldn't do the same. Unfortunately for Kanasake, he was as foolish as he was easily bought.

"Oi! Blondie!" Kanasake hollered, "Fetch me more stew."

"Fetch it yourself," Naruto retorted without even turning around from where she was talking to Sakura.

"You're my guard, you're being paid to see to my needs." The civilian didn't suppress a leer and his eyes lingered on Naruto's ass.

"I'm being paid to save your life if or when it's threatened. Nothing more, nothing less." Naruto said, then a smirk twisted her lips before she continued, "If you're that eager for more stew, though," moving so fast that she was little more than a blur of golden hair, Naruto grabbed the almost empty pot of food and upended it over Kanasake's head.

Itachi and Sasuke had to turn away to hide their smirks as their client practically exploded with rage and tried to get his hands around Naruto's neck. Needless to say, he wasn't having much luck. Sakura, meanwhile, wasn't bothering to contain her satisfaction at seeing their aggravating charge being brought down a peg or two. Itachi was about to intervene when the clearing was flooded with killing intent and the ninja's snapped to attention. They all noticed Kanasake scurry towards his tent to get out of the range of fighting but they ignored him, concentrating instead on the half dozen Iwa nin that suddenly surrounded them, all eyes on Naruto.

"Namikaze!" One of them growled and Naruto cursed under her breath.

Suddenly, a lot of things started to make more sense. Then there was no more time for thinking because the Iwa nin were attacking. It wasn't a long battle. Kanasake had informed the people paying him that he was being escorted by Kakashi's genin team with Uchiha Itachi filling in as leader. As such, the Iwa ambush was composed of two ANBU and four jōnin level ninja. It was almost child's play. Itachi didn't even activate his sharingan, choosing instead to give his kenjutsu a workout while Sasuke showed them why the Uchiha were renowned for their fire jutsu and Sakura let her fists do the talking. If she also took the opportunity to vent her frustrations and ended up remodelling the landscape in the process, well, nobody from Konoha was brave enough to comment on it. Naruto, for her part, had definitely inherited her father's innate speed. She might not have the the Flying Thunder God Technique in her repertoire yet, but Kurama augmented her reaction times making her far faster than the average ninja. Her hair flew around her as she twirled and slashed her way through the Iwa ninja, leaving a short-lived but unmistakable trail of yellow that fueled the Iwa ninja's anger and made them sloppy. In the end, the backup ANBU team that Tsunade had assigned wasn't even needed and ended up watching from the sidelines, slightly disappointed, as the Iwa nin were defeated, bound and gagged in mere minutes.

"So," Sasuke said once the Iwa nin had been carted off back to Konoha along with a snivelling Kanasake. "Namikaze?"

Naruto rolled her eyes.

"You were off being all emo and evil," she replied. "Don't blame me if you miss stuff."

"And was I off being emo and evil as well, Naruto?" Sakura glared at her friend. "Because this is all news to me as well."

Naruto's lips form an 'Oh' of realisation and she reached up to scratch the back of her neck, trying and failing to look innocent.

"I forgot to mention it?" Naruto suggested by way of explanation

"You forgot to mention that your father just happens to be one of the most famous ninja to have ever lived?" Sakura asked, incredulous.

When Naruto showed a distinct lack of self preservation by nodding, Sakura released a shriek the likes of which hadn't been heard since her Academy days and proceeded to chase her friend all the way back to Konoha. Sasuke and Itachi followed at a more sedate pace, content to watch the two women bicker.

"Did you know?" Sasuke asked his brother when they were almost upon Konoha's gates. "About Naruto's father."

"No," Itachi replied. "I had my suspicions but the Yondaime and Uzumaki Kushina were not married."

"Still," Sasuke put voice to something that was bothering him, "why would he seal the Kyūbi into his own child? Surely he knew the kind of life he was dooming her to?"

Itachi was silent for a long time before replying.

"When I was at Akatsuki, Madara would speak a lot about the jinchūriki and their backgrounds. The Uzumaki line has historically been the jailor of the Kyūbi, starting all the way back from Uzumaki Mito, wife of the Shodaime Hokage. Naruto's mother hosted the fox until her death and so Naruto was the logical choice of successor."

Konoha's gates came into view then and the brothers didn't speak any further on the topic, choosing instead to herd Sakura and Naruto towards the Hokage's tower so that they could debrief.

Itachi would have knocked but Naruto used her new status as Tsunade's apprentice to breeze past all protocol and she pushed the door open, announcing,

"Granny! We're back!"

There was a jōnin team already in the office, by all accounts in the middle of giving their report. Naruto's eyes travelled over Shino and Kiba and she grinned at Akamaru when he barked out a greeting. The last member of the team was not Hinata but a different Hyuga, a girl a couple of years older than them with dark hair that fell down her back and bearing all the regal elegance her clan was famous for.

"Naruto," Tsunade said as if she'd been expecting the blonde, "You're right on time for Team Eight's debriefing."

Without prompting Itachi left the office, taking Sasuke and Sakura with him but neither of them complained. It was only to be expected that Naruto, now that she was officially recognised as the next Hokage, would be privy to information that they were not. Thankfully, barely fifteen minutes had passed before Team Eight were leaving and Team Seven were being called in to give their report.

"That was fast," Sakura commented as the door closed behind Team Eight.

"Their mission was pretty straightforward," was all Tsunade said on the matter.

Then the ANBU team that had shadowed Team Seven seemingly melted out of the shadows along with the still unconscious Kanasake. Itachi repressed the urge to sigh. He hated questioning civilians. You could practically taste their fear when they were caught in a lie. Tsunade revived Kanasake with a sharp tap to his head and Itachi forced himself to focus. There was work to do.

As Itachi predicted, Kanasake was terrified of them. When backed by Iwa he was all bluster but now, alone and surrounded by elite ninja who had caught him red-handed in a plot to assassinate one of their own, he was a blubbering, terrified, _mess_. They had little trouble extracting the information they wanted from him and so the interrogation was quick and painless. Fortunately, that meant that Itachi's torture was short lived. _Unfortunately_ Naruto's was only just beginning.

"I don't understand why I can't just leave a clone to do this," Naruto complained as she pulled a stack of papers closer. "It's just paperwork."

"Because, brat," Tsunade's grin was sadistic and unrepentant, "not all of us have the chakra reserves to keep a shadow clone going for hours upon hours and if I have to suffer through this then you do as well."

"That's not fair!" Naruto wailed and Tsunade slapped the back of her head.

"Tough luck, kid. Get used to it," Tsunade turned back to her own paperwork and Naruto pouted at her for a moment before giving in, still grumbling complaints under her breath.

She gave the piles of documents stacked on the desk the stink-eye. It was almost as if Granny hadn't done _anything_ in the days Naruto had been gone and had just let everything accumulate. With a sigh, Naruto turned her attention to what was quickly becoming her least favourite of the Hokage's duties. The sooner she got this over with the sooner she could leave.

As with all bureaucratic documents, most of the forms and papers had to be filled out or looked over in triplicate and it was hours before Naruto was done. The sun was setting over the horizon, bathing Konoha red and orange, and the streets were quieting down as she made her way towards the hospital. It had been a while since she'd checked in on Kakashi and she was starting to miss her sensei's strange sense of humour.

So caught up was Naruto in her thoughts that it took her a while to realise she'd been staring at the same couple all this time. Then she realised exactly who that couple was. They were up ahead, well out of the range of sight for people without jinchūriki enhanced senses and Naruto's heart skipped a beat. Itachi was talking to the Hyūga girl that had been with Team Eight earlier, their heads tilted towards each other and deep in conversation. The girl was a bit shorter than Itachi and her body language spoke volumes. Her shoulders were pushed back in invitation, her chin tilted just so and her lashes lowered slightly in a look that was the personification of flirtatious. Itachi was facing her, his hands folded behind his back and he was clearly listening to whatever she had to say, giving her his full attention.

It shouldn't have been as surprising as it was but Naruto knew that Itachi had never met the girl before today, he would have greeted her in Tsunade's office if he had. Also, as companionable as Itachi could be around the people he trusted, he was like a marble statue around strangers, pale and beautiful but you'd be lucky to even get a grunt of acknowledgement out of him. After Sasuke had returned to the village Naruto had teased him about having to put up with fangirls once again. Itachi had been in earshot and the deep shudder that the older Uchiha gave told them all they needed to know about the subject. Itachi _despised_ fangirls and yet here was, for all intents and purposes talking to one as if they were the best of friends. Naruto's hands curved into fists and she turned away, pushing chakra to her feet and taking to the rooftops instead. She never did make it to the hospital.

~O

Uchiha Sasuke thought he'd seen it all. Between his childhood, the years spent as a missing-nin, and somehow managing to live through a war, there was little that could truly surprise him anymore. So all was right with the world as he sauntered towards the Akimichi's restaurant with Sakura, intent on grabbing some lunch after a rather brutal training session against Lee.

They had a few days off after their mission to capture the people that were after Kakashi and completing a successful mission with Itachi, with both of them as fully-fledged Konoha ninja, settled something in Sasuke. This was how it was supposed to be, Sasuke thought. This is what their lives should have been like all along.

"Oi! Uchiha! Whatcha looking so smug about?

The annoying voice was deep, almost a growl, and Sasuke gave in to the urge to frown as his gaze travelled over Kiba, Akamaru, Shino and the Hyūga girl that was with them the last time. Instead of replying Sasuke merely sneered at him then turned his head away. Naruto might still be loud and annoying at times, but it was tempered by moments of wisdom. Kiba had no such saving grace.

"So I heard your mission went well," Sakura interjected before Kiba could put voice to any offence Sasuke might have caused.

"But what happened to Hinata? Why isn't she with you?"

"She had clan head duties," Kiba explained then waved to the girl standing beside him. "This is Nanami."

"Nice to meet you!" Sakura greeted the girl and Sasuke merely glanced at her.

"And you," Nanami returned, bowing slightly with the formality the Hyūga were famed for. "Hinata-sama speaks very highly of all her friends."

"We were just about to get some lunch. Are you guys heading in as well?" Sakura asked as she stopped in front of the restaurant they had stopped in front of.

"Yeah, I'm starved!" Kiba declared and with that the group were pushing open the swinging doors and piling into the welcoming and bustling interior.

Akimichi's was a popular spot amongst civilians and ninja alike but Choji was working that day and quickly found them a table. Sasuke rarely voiced a preference for one type of food over another but privately he'd admit that barbeque was one of his favourites and that the Akimichi's cooked it particularly well. Not even the prospect of being imposed upon during his lunch could sour Sasuke's mood and he even deigned to make conversation with Nanami as they waited for their food. Well, for Sasuke's definition of the word 'conversation' at any rate.

Neither Uchiha was by any means approachable but Nanami, wanting to fit in with Hinata-sama's friends, found the courage to put voice to a question or two. Sasuke answered using as few words as possible and Nanami quickly withdrew back into herself, not realising that such a taciturn display was Sasuke's way of being friendly. Fortunately, the most fluent person in Uchiha in Konoha was also experiencing a craving for barbeque and had just breezed through the doors of Akimichi's.

"Naruto!" Kiba called out and waved a greeting as he spotted the blonde making her way up to the counter.

"Hi guys!" Naruto greeted with her usual grin but only Sasuke noticed the way her she froze for a fraction of a moment when she spotted Nanami.

"You on a lunch break?" Kiba asked, "Come join us."

"A break? I wish," Naruto snorted. "No, I'm getting takeout to take back to the office. I swear Granny's been saving up paperwork for the years just so she can hoist it all off on me."

"Dream job not looking so dreamy anymore, huh?" Sakura teased, "Welcome to the real world Naruto."

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up," Naruto scowled. "Once Granny retires I'm putting you all on D-rank missions for a _month_."

"You can't abuse power that you don't have yet, dead-last," Sasuke pointed out.

"It's only a matter of time, bastard," Naruto's smile was sickly sweet and just as fake but any retort Sasuke could have made was cut off when Akamaru gave soft bark and butted his head against Naruto's hand.

Laughing, Naruto obligingly scratched him behind his ears.

"Sorry, Akamaru," she apologised, "I didn't mean to ignore you."

Still pampering the ninken, Naruto turned her attention back to her friends.

"So, part of becoming Granny's apprentice means that I get a house closer to the tower," Naruto told them. "I've already moved my stuff in but I was wondering if you guys wanted to come over for a housewarming this weekend? Everyone's back from their missions and will be around so we can all get together."

"A party!" Kiba pumped his fist in excitement. "Hell, yes! Ino and I will bring the booze."

"A housewarming sounds amazing," Sakura agreed. "But you didn't tell us you were moving, Naruto. We could've helped."

"No need," Naruto waved off the sentiment. "Everyone's been so busy as it is. Besides, I'm a one-woman army Sakura-chan. Haven't you heard?"

"More like a one-woman demolition team," Sasuke mumbled under his breath.

Somehow, everyone at the table heard him and the statement produced a round of laughter, even from Naruto. That was when Sakura perked up, as if remembering something.

"Oh! Naruto!" Sakura exclaimed. "You haven't been introduced yet. This is Hyūga Nanami. Hinata has clan duties so Nanami is stepping in for her for the time being. Your housewarming will be the perfect way to introduce her to everyone."

"It's nice to meet you, Nanami," Naruto smiled at the Hyūga but Sasuke's eyes narrowed when the expression didn't quite meet Naruto's eyes.

"And you Uzumaki-san," Nanami bowed her head in deference to Naruto's rank. "Hinata-sama has many great things to say about you."

"Ah, Hinata's a sweetheart but she exaggerates," a blush stained Naruto's cheeks the likes of which only Hinata was able to produce.

As Naruto's staunchest supporter ever since their Academy days, Hinata had always been quick to notice Naruto's strengths and accomplishments. Now, having grown into a confident and self-assured woman, Hinata wasn't shy of extolling those virtues whenever such an opportunity arose. She did so with such sincerity that it was one of the few occasions that the boisterous jinchūriki was reduced to blushing like the teenaged girl she was.

"With all due respect Uzumaki-san," Nanami's spoke quietly but firmly, "your accomplishments in battle are no secret. Besides you're the youngest Hokage apprentice in the history of all the Elemental Nations. Hinata-sama could not have been exaggerating that much."

For a moment there was silence as everyone stared at Nanami and Sasuke stared at Naruto. As such he was able to catch the flare of emotion in Naruto's eyes before she graced the Hyūga with a small but genuine smile and something in the set of her shoulders relaxed.

"Call me Naruto," she insisted. "Absolutely no last names allowed this weekend. Formality sucks."

"They're called manners, dead-last," Sasuke teased even as he vowed to think about what he'd noticed later, when he was alone. Naruto was never this weary of _anyone_.

"It's called being friendly, bastard," Naruto retorted before brushing him off with a toss of her hair and turning to Kiba.

"Could you bring more of that herb you and Ino spiked the drinks with the last time?" she asked the Inuzuka. "It was hilarious!"

"Oh God no!" Sakura immediately protested. "My hangover lasted for _day_ s! You spike my drink again Kiba and I will end you!"

"If I recall correctly, you were a willing participant, Sakura-chan," Naruto grinned. "You only have yourself to blame."

"I have something different this time," Kiba announced before Sakura could reply. "I came across this merchant from Tea Country during our mission and I promise you, Naruto, this stuff will knock you out."

"You better deliver, dog-breath," Naruto smirked as a waiter handed her a few food parcels that were tied together with string to make them easier to carry.

"You keep making all these promises but this stuff might as well be water for all the effect it's had so far."

"What's this? You planning something naughty, Naruto-chan?" a new voice interrupted and Naruto turned to smirk at the masked jounin who suddenly appeared behind her.

"Sensei!" Naruto beamed. "I didn't know they let you out of the hospital!"

"That's because we didn't," Sakura scowled. "He left against medical advice. You're still supposed to be on bed-rest Kakashi-sensei," she scolded.

"Maa, I was but then Iruka had to leave because Tsunade was looking for Naruto. So I came to find her because I'd very much like to get Iruka-kun back into bed," Kakashi explained, shameless as always.

Blood rushed to Naruto's face and she sputtered and gaped in astonishment, pointing an accusatory finger at her teacher while her mouth moved but only partially enunciated words escaped. Eventually Naruto gave up on words and decided actions spoke louder. Lips thinning and eyes narrowing she reached up to twist the ear that wasn't covered by Kakashi's mask and forehead-protector, delighting in the soft grunt of pain Kakashi couldn't quite hold back.

"You're not allowed to talk about Iruka-sensei like that," Naruto lectured as she led Kakashi from the restaurant, still holding onto his ear. "He deserves better. In fact, I think you need a lesson in respect sensei, so when I'm Hokage I'm gonna ban all Icha Icha books from being read in public."

Knowing Kakashi as she did, Naruto wasn't the least bit surprised when this threat upset him much more than her manhandling of him did. They made quite a sight as Naruto marched into the Hokage tower. She had a bag of takeout dangling from the fingers of one hand and the infamous Copy-nin was stumbling behind her, stooped over and in extreme discomfort because she'd refused to let go of his ear.

Iruka, Tsunade and Shizune stared at them as Naruto practically skipped into her office as if nothing were amiss and all three of them almost visibly decided that they _did not want to know_. And so Kakashi was left to pout because Naruto had confiscated his book and Iruka was ignoring him and his plans to 'recuperate' at home just were not happening. Ah well, he could always get Iruka to make it up to him later. The chūnin could never maintain any facade of discipline when Kakashi was injured and the Copy-nin was not above playing the poor, wounded ninja if it meant he was getting laid. A lifetime of self-control gave Kakashi the ability to withhold a perverted giggle and he tuned out the rest of the meeting, planning instead which scene from Icha Icha Paradise he wanted to re-enact tonight.


	4. You Don't Know How Lovely You Are

**Notes** : Thanks for all your reviews! I love hearing your thoughts so please keep them coming :)

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She was nervous. Whilst not a new sensation to her, the last time nerves had tampered with Naruto's usually limitless energy was when she'd taken her genin test for the third time. Now, standing in front a building she hadn't stepped foot in for thirteen years, Naruto was nervous.

From the outside, Konoha's orphanage looked just like one might expect. The building was functional, built for efficiency and with little decoration. A plaque above the door announced it's purpose and the paint was a military grey in colour, marred by dirt and years of exposure to the elements. Like any ninja village, Konoha took the safety and protection of it's orphans seriously and the orphanage was one of the most heavily protected during times of war or in case of an evasion. As such there had been no need to rebuild and that the building showed the passage of time was a testament to how seriously Konoha ninja's took their duty.

Every ninja village had more than its fair share of orphans, it was the price they paid for essentially being militant nations. Konoha was no exception and, for the most part, the people that ran the orphanage were some of the kindest and most nurturing souls in the village. Except, of course, if the child in question had too much energy, was loud, prone to breaking the rules and housed the nine-tailed fox. Naruto had not made life easy for her carers when she'd lived at the orphanage but she doubted they would have kicked any other four year old out onto the streets, no matter how naughty or troublesome the child was.

For the most part, Naruto didn't blame the people of Konoha for their misconceptions or their attitude towards her before she'd proven herself. Grief did terrible things to people and everyone needed somewhere to vent their anger. Yes, doing so on a defenseless child was wrong but only one villager could ever have been accused of physically hurting Naruto. Most of the villagers had contented themselves with name-calling and verbal slurs but Masahashi Tatsumi, matron of Konoha's orphanage for the past twenty years, had been different. She'd lost her husband and three children when Kurama had attacked Konoha and having to care for the girl that housed the demon fox had been one mental burden too many.

Armed with intelligence and hatred, and in a position of power over the person Tatsumi blamed for her losses, Naruto's time at the orphanage had been hell on earth. Tatsumi had been quick to notice how neither illness nor injury took hold of Naruto for very long and had taken full advantage of that fact. If ever she'd left a mark on Naruto's skin, the jinchūriki had immediately been locked away for a few hours or assigned some solitary manual labour and, by the time Naruto had finished her chores, there was never anyone to witness the signs of abuse. Naruto, as a child, had not known any better and had taken her treatment as her due and it was only after she'd witnessed the Sandaime's anger when Tatsumi had kicked her out of the orphanage that she'd realised that, yes, sometimes adults were wrong.

If Naruto had ever witnessed Tatsumi treating another child like she had Naruto, maybe the blonde would have spoken up. As it was, she was just glad to be out from the matrons tender loving care, even if taking care of yourself was a difficult job for a four year old. Still, Naruto was nothing if not determined and, with the Sandaime's help, she was soon up and running and settled into a new routine. The memories of the orphanage had never really left her though and so Naruto found herself standing in front of the building that held so many bad memories and hesitating.

Part of the Hokage's duties were to oversee Konoha's various charities and it was a duty that Naruto was more than willing to perform. She'd already been to visit the Ninja Support headquarters, a support group for the families of ninja who had been killed in action or those who were injured too badly to work anymore. Naruto had also spent a long, enjoyable afternoon with the Ninja Women's Association. The NWA was run by civilians and kunoichi alike and hanging around with them was the most fun Naruto had had in ages. They were a practical and competent group of women with who spent little time on ceremony and Naruto had taken to them instantly.

Now it was time for her to pay a visit to the orphanage. While Naruto could empathise with parentless children, she was more than a little worried about the reception she would get. Tatsumi had stayed in charge, even after she'd kicked Naruto out, because there were no other cases of misconduct and because the support staff had stood behind Tatsumi and threatened to quit if she was fired. So far, Tsunade's decision to make Naruto her successor had been met with raucous approval but Naruto knew better than to expect universal acceptance. Taking a deep breath and steeling her resolve, Naruto pushed open the door and had a smile on her face by the time the receptionist glanced up from her work.

"Uzumaki-san!" The receptionist, a young woman whose name- badge read 'Kaede' immediately stood up and bowed. "Welcome!"

"Thank you," Naruto smiled and had to hold back the urge to ask the girl to use her first name. One of the hardest parts of being Tsunade's successor was getting used to all the formality.

"Masahashi-san is waiting for you," Kaede said and motioned Naruto towards a side-door. "Please, follow me."

Taking another deep breath as she followed the girl through the corridors towards the matron's office, Naruto forced away the last of her nerves. So what if Tatsumi still held a grudge towards Naruto? There was little the matron could do about it. Naruto was the one in power now and everybody knew it. Besides, it's not like she was a defenseless four year old any longer. Naruto was more than able to take care of herself. With that thought, Naruto entered the matron's office calm, collected and in control.

She was correct of course. Tatsumi _did_ still hold a grudge against Naruto but the older woman was intelligent enough to know that acting on said grudge was career suicide. Besides, she really did love the children under her care. Apart from the Kyūbi brat, she always had, and she was loathe to leave them to the mercies of someone who might be negligent or less than 100% dedicated to them. All Tatsumi had to do was get through this meeting, after that she would only have to interact with Uzumaki Naruto a handful of times a year. For the sake of the children she would grin and bear it.

And so the meeting passed pleasantly. Well, superficially at least. Only the more astute staff picked up any tension between their boss and the future Rokudaime and they were smart enough not to comment on it. Then it came time for Naruto to meet the children and the fun really started.

The older kids, the ones jaded by the stigma of living at the orphanage adored Naruto because she was 'one of them' and she had made a name for herself. The younger ones adored her because she was a ninja and the ninja of Konoha were all viewed with rose tinted glasses by the kids of the village. Tatsumi was the last thing on Naruto's mind as she sat crossed legged on the floor and laughed as the children clamoured all over her.

Her sharp hearing picked up the snide comments Tatsumi and her supporters made toward each other but she was surrounded by children of all ages, every single one of whom was looking at Naruto like she hung the moon. Nothing could dampen her mood now. So Naruto was in high spirits as she left the orphanage, still riding the high of a very successful afternoon, and her mood only lifted further when she bumped into Iruka.

"Sensei!" Naruto greeted. "I haven't seen you in weeks! Where have you been hiding?"

"Ne, don't exaggerate Naruto," Iruka laughed. "We talked a couple of days ago. I can't believe you'd forget, it was the day you dragged Kakashi by the ear halfway across Konoha."

"Pervert deserved it," Naruto proclaimed before grinning up at the older man. "It still _feels_ like it's been ages since we talked. Are you free now? We could go to Ichiraku's?"

"Sure," Iruka smiled. "I haven't had ramen in months."

"Well we gotta change that right away!" Naruto declared and linked arms with her sensei, pulling him towards the ramen stand.

"So what have you been up to lately? The Academy is on summer break right?"

"That's right," Iruka confirmed. "It's gonna be a short one to make up for the time missed during the war but there's still a couple of weeks before the students are due back. I've been training in between missions. I think it's time I took the jōnin exams."

"That's awesome!" Naruto's eyes widened at the news. "Congrats, Iruka-sensei. I'm sure you'll ace them."

"Naruto," Iruka laughed. "You don't even know what the exam is about!"

"So? I still know you'll ace it," Naruto glanced at Iruka out of the corners of her eyes. "You're not the type of person to go into something unprepared sensei."

Iruka was silent for a long moment, taken aback by the insight, but then he smiled at Naruto and ruffled her hair.

"When did you get so smart?" He demanded.

"I'm a natural born genius of hard work," Naruto declared, trying to look superior but mostly just looking like she'd smelled something bad.

"I can't argue with that!" Iruka grinned and was silent for a moment as he gave his former student the once-over.

"What have you been up to today?" Iruka asked. "And is that crayon on your clothes?"

"Yep," Naruto confirmed, letting the 'p' pop off her lips. "I spent the day at the orphanage. Those kids are such brats."

It was said with such obvious amusement that Iruka could only grin.

"I'm positive they're nowhere near as bad as you were," he teased and Naruto gasped with mock outrage.

"I resent that," Naruto pouted, crossing her arms over her chest.

She would have said more but her attention was caught by two people coming out of the music store. Iruka followed her gaze and smiled slightly at the sight that greeted him.

"It's good to see Itachi integrating back into the village, ne?" He asked but didn't wait for an answer. "Do you know who he's with?"

"Yeah, that's Hyūga Nanami. Hinata has clan duties so Nanami is working with Team 8 for the time being. She's...nice," Naruto answered as she looked away from Itachi and Nanami.

"Nice?" Iruka frowned down at Naruto, slightly puzzled by the hesitance he heard in her voice.

The only time Naruto took an instant dislike to someone was when they were openly hostile towards her or her friends and he doubted that was the case with Nanami. Very few people in Konoha were openly hostile towards Naruto these days.

"Well, she's polite and stuff. Kiba and Shino seem to like her well enough, and she gets on with Itachi as well so she must be nice, right?" Naruto said as they slipped into seats at Ichiraku's.

"I see," Iruka tried to smother his smile and was only partially successful. "Naruto, are you jealous?"

"WHAT?" Naruto's face turned bright red with embarrassment and she was so shocked at the question that she almost slipped right back out of her seat. "What the hell kind of question is that, Iruka-sensei?"

"Well, it makes sense," Iruka elaborated. "You and Itachi have become pretty close after all. He's an exceptional ninja and went so far for the sake of Konoha and his brother, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if you had a bit of a crush on him."

Naruto gaped at Iruka for long moments while he just smiled calmly back at her. Eventually realising that it was futile to deny anything, Naruto sighed and her body slumped like a puppet whose strings had been cut. She smiled at Ayumi when the older girl placed a huge bowl practically overflowing with steaming pork ramen in front of her then turned to face Iruka once more.

"I didn't realise I was that transparent," Naruto eventually said.

"Only to those who know you well," Iruka assured her. "How long have you had feelings for Itachi?"

Naruto shifted slightly in her seat and ducked her head as she stirred the ramen to bring some of the noodles up to the top.

"I dunno," she confessed. "I didn't even realise until recently."

"Let me guess, until Itachi started spending time with another girl?" Iruka's smile was gentle, no hint of censure in his face and Naruto blinked back the sudden sting in her eyes.

"Yeah," she agreed, her voice soft. "I'm such a moron. Who the hell falls for someone so obviously out of their league!"

For a moment Iruka was taken aback because Naruto had never been short on confidence before but then he glanced back at Itachi and Nanami, both dark and elegant and regal and from famous clans and he realised where some of this might be coming from.

"You know," Iruka said after he'd taken a bite of his food and swallowed. "I used to think the exact same thing about me and Kakashi. That he was way, _way_ out of my league."

Naruto's head swivelled towards him, her eyes wide with surprise and Iruka laughed.

"Kakashi is one of the best ninja in the village," he explained. "He's the student of the Yondaime, and is famous throughout the Elemental Nations and is definitely not short on admirers. What could he possibly want with a chūnin Academy instructor? At least, that's what I thought back then."

"That's stupid. Kaka-sensei is a good ninja but he's lazy and a pervert and you're way too good for him Iruka-sensei," Naruto declared, indignation on Iruka's behalf making her eyes flash.

"It's very kind of you to say so, Naruto," Iruka replied, "But I could say the same about you and Itachi."

Naruto's brows furrowed in confusion and, for the umpteenth time, Iruka felt angry on behalf of this brave, selfless girl who had never had anyone to tell her just how amazing and worthy she was.

"I know I said I can understand why you have feelings for Itachi," Iruka elaborated. "But that doesn't mean that I think he's worthy of you. You've done so much for everyone in this village, Naruto. You're so strong, always protecting everyone and I feel that you deserve someone in your life who is going to put _you_ first. Konoha has always been, and from here on out will always be, your first priority. It seems to me that Konoha has always been Itachi's first priority as well. I just, I think that whomever you end up with should be someone who will make _you_ their first priority."

There was silence for a moment then Naruto did something completely uncharacteristic. Disregarding the fact that hugging her old Academy teacher could make her look childish or vulnerable, she threw her arms around Iruka and buried her head in his chest. Slightly surprised, but not the least bit bothered by the action, Iruka merely ran his fingers through her hair and let Naruto take all the time she needed to compose herself. The canvas front of the stall and been pinned back on either side at the front to entice customers in but Ayame came round the counter to let one half down, affording Iruka and Naruto as much privacy as she was able to. Iruka smiled his thanks and Ayame returned it with one of her own.

Neither of them noticed the dark eyes that observed the entire scene.

~O

Konoha's ANBU were the best of the best. Exceptionally well trained and patriotic almost to a fault, they were truly an elite group of ninja. ANBU was a relatively small group and admission into their ranks was not something easily granted. The screening procedures and psychological evaluations alone were so rigid that only 8% of applicants passed them. On the upside, the ANBU could safely say that they had never had a traitor in their ranks. For a few years that prestige was marred by the name Uchiha Itachi but now that Itachi was back in the village, and the full circumstances of the Uchiha Massacre had been revealed, the group were standing proud and tall once more and Itachi's reputation had been elevated to legendary proportions the likes of which only Kakashi had ever achieved before.

The group had a complex of apartments, training grounds and relaxation areas in a secluded spot next to training ground 44. It wasn't an area that most people ventured into and the complex was heavily guarded so that nobody without proper authorisation could get in. Not even Naruto, who had spent her childhood exploring Konoha and knew the village like the back of her hand, knew about the ANBU complex before she'd actively been told about it.

It was usually a quiet place, somewhere the ninja could unwind and collect themselves after completing missions deemed too dangerous for anyone else to handle. The ANBU themselves were an eclectic bunch but were usually too busy recovering or trying to cope with the experiences of recent missions to show much humour when they were at the complex. Today was a different story.

Two of their most notorious members were returning to their ranks and one of them, in particular, was getting a hero's welcome. The rest of the village might view Itachi's sacrifices through the rose tinted glasses of hero worship but the ANBU knew, or could make a very accurate guess, towards just how much going undercover with Akatsuki had cost him. Needless to say they were very, _very_ eager to give him the welcome and support he deserved.

The current ANBU commander was retiring and so came the reason for Hatake Kakashi's return to the fold. Naruto and Tsunade had appointed him in the newly open position and nobody had any complaints. Kakashi was a legend, had lived through two wars, and had kept his sense of self and morality through it all. There was nobody more qualified to lead them than Kakashi. Besides, the man was student to the Yondaime and sensei to the future Rokudaime, it wasn't surprising that Uzumaki Naruto had made someone she had such trust in their commander. It was a position of incredible power after all.

The common room where ANBU could gather and relax together was more populated that it had ever been. People were leaning against the wall and squashed together on the couches, talking amongst themselves and placing friendly bets on how late exactly Kakashi would be today. To their surprise, Kakashi was exactly on time. Then they noticed the little orange book Naruto was holding and the glare Kakashi was shooting in her direction and everything made a little more sense.

Hiding their laughter behind the facade of professionalism, the ANBU stood in unison and bowed to Tsunade.

"Afternoon everyone," Tsunade greeted. There was little need for fanfare or ceremony with these ninja so she got straight to the point.

"I'm sure everyone's already aware of this by now but I'd like to officially welcome Uchiha Itachi back into the fold."

A round of applause met her announcement and Tsunade sighed as she waited for the noise to die down.

"Yes, we're all very happy to have him back," the Hokage agreed. "Itachi will be taking up the weasel mask once more and joining Squad 3."

More applause met the news, along with a few cat-calls and Naruto had to hide a smirk. Who knew Itachi was so popular? He was hardly what anyone would call 'outgoing' or 'approachable'. Then again this was ANBU. They probably liked you more the deadlier you were.

"As you all know, Commander Inoue retired this month and I am glad to announce that Hatake Kakashi will be taking his place. I don't need to tell anyone here what an asset Kakashi has been to Konoha and I have every expectation that he will do us proud in this role as well." Tsunade said.

Kakashi surveyed the room, for the moment abandoning all pretense and giving the situation his full attention. As one the ANBU snapped to attention and bowed to Kakashi. He didn't say anything, merely nodded his acknowledgment, but somehow that simple exchange of gestures seemed to carry more gravitas and sincerity than any speech ever could. Tsunade said a few more words to end the small ceremony on a proper note and then everyone was moving to congratulate Kakashi or welcome Itachi back into the fold and Naruto found herself alone, a bit of an outsider amongst these people with their friendships forged through blood and war. Tsunade left to find the nearest bottle of sake and Naruto was thinking of making her retreat as well when two very familiar faces approached.

"Neji," She greeted, "Shikamaru. You guys are in ANBU?"

"For about two months now," Neji confirmed.

"Huh," Naruto regarded her friends, "you know it actually makes sense that out of everyone you two would be the first to join. I don't think Sasuke's that far behind though. You'll be seeing his smiling face around here any day now."

"Oh joy," Shikamaru intoned, with all his usual enthusiasm and Naruto couldn't help but smile.

"So," Naruto rocked back on her heels and linked her hands together behind her back. "What masks are you guys wearing?" She asked then, before they could reply, "No! Wait! Let me guess. Shikamaru, you're...a koala bear and Neji you're a shark."

"I don't think those are options, Naruto-san," Neji replied. "But we're still on probation. We won't be getting masks for another month."

"That sucks," Naruto sympathised. "And they should totally be options. Also, Neji if I hear you calling me 'san' again I'm gonna kick your ass. It sounds so snobby."

"You are Hokage-sama's apprentice, it is only proper to use the correct form of address," Neji sniffed.

"I don't give a fuck," Naruto snorted. "I have to put up with all this political bullshit from everyone else, if my friends start treating me differently as well I'll scream."

"Troublesome as always, Naruto," Shikamaru sighed, noting the appraising glances Naruto's language was garnering.

"You bet!" Naruto grinned like he'd paid her a compliment. "Anyway, you guys are coming to my housewarming party this weekend right? Sakura told you guys about it?"

"Yes," Neji nodded. "We look forward to it."

"Awesome," Naruto grinned. "It's gonna be the one hell of a party."

Little did Naruto know just how prophetic her words would appear to be.


	5. The Way I'm Feeling I Just Can't Deny

It was Naruto's worst nightmare. Sakura and Ino had ambushed her as she was leaving for lunch and now the three of them were standing in front of a _clothing store_.

"Oh, grow a pair," Sakura scolded as she caught Naruto's expression. "We're just gonna buy a dress for your housewarming tomorrow."

"Sakura-chan," Naruto explained. "I've never been dress shopping before in my _life_!"

"Exactly," Sakura smirked and Naruto swallowed.

"Well, come on!" Ino urged. "The clothes aren't gonna buy themselves!"

Naruto sighed and she brushed strands of hair out of her eyes, shoulders slumping as she followed Ino and Sakura into the store. It was one of those girly, high-end boutiques and the salesperson immediately lit up in recognition when they entered the store. Ninja were pretty well paid, especially elite ninja like the three women who had just walked in. The Yamanaka Clan was one of the most prominent in Konoha and everyone knew the future Rokudaime and Tsunade's med-nin apprentice.

"Welcome," the salesgirl bowed in greeting, brown hair falling over her shoulders as she did so. "I'm Murata Nana and I'll be serving you today."

"Murata-chan," Ino eyed the girl up and down, taking in her tailored dress and ankle boots, "You look like a woman of taste. We want to get Naruto here something...eye-catching, if you get what I mean."

"Ah! I understand you perfectly Yamanaka-san," Nana said with a sage nod. "As it happens we just got in a beautiful range of party dresses. Please follow me. Do you have a favoured color, Uzumaki-san?"

"Anything but orange," Sakura answered with a sweet smile as Ino clamped a hand over Naruto's mouth.

Murata Nana glanced at Naruto's outraged face, and down to the black and orange shirt she wore, and across to the identically innocent expressions Ino and Sakura sported and earned every cent of the commission she was about to earn by very wisely saying nothing.

"How about this one?" Murata suggested instead and held up a shimmery black and gold mini.

Sakura and Ino gasped their admiration and pushed Naruto towards the changing rooms, ignoring her complaints with the ease of practice. For the the next couple of hours Naruto was squeezed and zipped and wrapped into some of the most restricting clothes she'd ever come across and her feet were pushed into heels deadly enough to pass as weapons. To be honest, Naruto didn't see the appeal of party clothes. They were flimsy and impractical and you never wore them more than once. She scowled down at the bright purple silk that clung to her chest and thighs. Twisting slightly to test her range of movement, Naruto's irritation increased. She could barely throw a punch in this thing.

"That one's not bad," Ino said as she flung open the curtain to the dressing room cubicle without warning.

"Sleeveless suits you, Naruto," Sakura agreed. "I'd kill for your shoulders."

"The two of you are crazy," Naruto scoffed and started to strip out of the dress. "This is the 100th dress you've made me try and I can't move in _any_ of them!"

"I can fix that!" Sakura cheerfully exclaimed. "Try this one, Naruto."

Naruto sighed and capitulated. To be fair to Sakura, it really was a beautiful dress. The sweetheart neckline left her shoulders bare and the skirt was flimsy and floaty, brushing Naruto's thighs just a co uple of inches below her ass.

"I think we have a winner," Ino exclaimed as she made Naruto twirl to show of the dress from all angles.

"Navy blue is a good colour on you, Uzumaki-san," the shop assistant said. "It really brings out the colour of your eyes."

"That cut is fabulous as well. Well spotted, Sakura." Ino added before her face lit up as she remembered something.

"I think I saw the perfect pair of shoes as well!" Ino exclaimed as turned to scour the shelves behind her. "Here, try these on."

The shoes in question were navy blue platform pumps with a peep-toe. The heel was higher than anything Naruto had ever worn before but not astronomically so and the platforms were more comfortable that she expected. Naruto's natural (though often well hidden) grace and the sense of balance her profession awarded her made it so that she moved effortlessly in the heels as she modelled the completed outfit for her friends.

"A certain Uchiha is gonna _lose his mind_ ," Sakura whispered to Ino as Naruto changed back into her street clothes.

Ino smirked at her best friend, green and blue eyes lighting up with twin expressions of mischief. Itachi wouldn't know what hit him. Naruto was blissfully ignorant of her friends' plotting as was little more than a whirlwind of blonde hair and orange clothes as she hurried to pay for her purchases and make it back to the tower in time. For all Granny's faults, she was an impeccable time-keeper and Naruto's lunch hour was ending in three minutes. It took near Hiraishin levels of speed, but Naruto vaulted neatly through the window of the Hokage's office just in time to see Tsunade glance pointedly at the clock.

"Ne, Granny. What's the look for? I'm not late," Naruto said as she stowed her shopping bags under her desk and poured a glass of water from carafe Shizune kept stocked for her.

"Did you go shopping?" Tsunade asked, eyebrows raised in disbelief as eyed the logo on the bags Naruto carried. "Voluntarily?"

"No way!" Naruto denied. "Sakura and Ino made me buy a dress for the housewarming. I swear to God, those two are so bossy. When you retire, Granny, I'm gonna make them both do Academy supervision for _weeks_ "

"That's an abuse of power, brat," Tsunade smirked and held it for only a moment before it melted into a wicked smile.

"You're learning quickly. So as a reward, I'm letting you collect the ANBU reports today."

"That's a _reward_?" Naruto scoffed. "Kakashi-sensei never has anything done on time!"

"It's part of the duty of a Hokage to motivate her forces," Tsunade was unrepentant. "Also, I know for a fact that three ANBU teams are running a joint training session today."

Naruto didn't need to hear any more. She was out the window before Tsunade could blink and racing towards ANBU HQ with a blinding grin on her face. _Finally_ she was getting to do something cool. To Naruto, getting to watch (and possibly partake) in a high octane training session between elite ninja with no lives on the line, was just about the coolest thing ever.

She placed her hand on the seal carved into the doors leading to the compound, waiting impatiently for it to read her chakra signature. The entire compound was protected by the seal and anyone who entered without first having their chakra signature whitelisted was in for some _very_ nasty surprises. The seal in question had been the combined work of her father and Jiraiya and had made ANBU HQ pretty much impregnable.

Kakashi was too good at keeping his chakra contained for Naruto to find him that way but there were small, subtle flares in the distance and Naruto immediately made her way over to them. It looked like that training session was well underway and, if Naruto knew her former sensei at all, he wouldn't pass up this opportunity either. Walking was far too slow a mode of transport so Naruto took to the rooftops and had soon spotted the congregated ninja. Kakashi's hair was a distinctive silver beacon and she wasted no time in flipping through the air to land next to her former sensei. So light was Naruto on her feet that she barely kicked up any dust and she grinned at the way some of the ANBU around Kakashi visibly started in shock, not having sensed her approach.

"As boisterous as ever, Naru-chan," Kakashi greeted the diminutive blonde, his visible eye curving into a smile.

"Your reports are late, sensei," Naruto immediately told him. "If I don't have them by tomorrow morning you're gonna have to spar with me."

"Ne, Naru-chan, that doesn't seen like a very fair punishment," Kakashi said and his head tilted to the side as he pondered her motives.

"We haven't really sparred in a while, sensei," Naruto grinned. "I think I'll last a lot longer against you now. A lot longer."

And suddenly, the strange punishment made sense because there was no doubt in Kakashi's mind that it _would_ be a punishment. Naruto was severely understating things by saying that she could 'last longer' against him and Kakashi was under no delusions that sparring against her would be _exhausting_. Fortunately, Kakashi was a master at evading people and Naruto would have to find him first if she wanted to fight. With that thought, Kakashi happily put all thoughts of paperwork out of his mind and turned his attention back to matter at hand.

ANBU teams 2, 7 and 9 were embroiled in an all out melee, a chance to let loose and kick some ass without the pressure of a mission. The gathered crowd were hooting and hollering, shouting out insults and encouragement alike and bets were being placed blatantly and shamelessly. Naruto took in the scene with wide eyes before a fox-like grin lit her face and she joined in the jeering. She had been expecting some kind of super-intense, battle filled with A or S-rank ninjutsu but this down and dirty taijutsu free-for-all was way, _way_ cooler.

"Man, I really wanna join in," Naruto admitted, bouncing a little on her heels.

The battle was down to five participants from the original twelve and Naruto was totally psyched up by the atmosphere and the display of skill. She knew all five of the people left - Yamato-sensei, Yūgao Uzuki, Zō, Inuzuka Hana and Itachi - and they all looked like they were having so much _fun_!

"I'm afraid that isn't a good idea, Naruto-san," Neji said as he joined his friend. "Most of the participants are not attuned to your chakra signature and may initially, instinctively view you as an enemy. It is far too risky an action for the Hokage's apprentice."

"You're such a buzz kill, Neji," Naruto complained. "I'll just have to arrange my own 'training session' later this week."

"A much better idea," Neji agreed.

Naruto grinned at him and lapsed back into silence, plans already running through her mind. Sasuke, Sakura, Lee, Neji, Shikamaru and Hinata were all gonna be around for the next couple of weeks. If she could rope Itachi and some of his ANBU pals into the group then they had the recipe for a truly spectacular afternoon. The low whistle Kakashi let out right then jolted Naruto from her reverie and she turned her attention back to the fight in time to see Hana take out both Yūgao and Zō with well placed kicks to the back of the head before spinning to catch the knee Yamato had aimed at her spine and using the grip to throw the wood-user over her shoulder. Yamato landed in a crouch but was springing into action a moment later, pushing chakra to his feet to carry him through the air to land between Hana and Itachi. Hana vaulted into the air and wrapped her legs around Yamato's neck, offsetting his center of gravity. She arched her back and lifted her arms and, as he fell, she caught herself on her hands and used the ground and her choke-hold she had Yamato in with her legs, to send him flying toward Itachi.

Itachi's foot caught Yamato square in the stomach and sent him flying towards a tree. Before he could impact it, Itachi was moving. He was little more than a black blur as he whipped his leg out, his foot lashing out three times to hit Hana once in the stomach, the sternum and her shoulder. Taking advantage of having her off balance he spun around to get behind her and his elbow hit a specific point in the back of her neck that had Hana crumbling like a ragdoll. In the next nanosecond there was a thump as Yamato hit the tree and dead silence filled the arena. In the next second pandemonium reigned as people cheered and hollered and booed and moaned depending on whether or not their champion had won or lost. Itachi ignored them all and took a moment to steady his breathing while medic nins rushed forward to tend to any injuries the participants might have.

"Itachi!" Naruto exclaimed, rushing forward to congratulate the Uchiha. "That was amazing!"

"Thank you, Naruto-san," Itachi replied, bowing his head in deference to her higher rank.

Naruto, who had become accustomed to the easy-going and chatty person Itachi became when he dropped his masks, furrowed her brow in confusion for a moment before she remembered that they were in public and Itachi was keeping up his stoic Uchiha persona.

"Ne Itachi-kun, you're not even breathing that hard," Kakashi complained. "You're making the rest of us look bad."

"I'm sure senpai would accomplish as much with greater ease," Itachi demurred, bowing to his senior and Kakashi let out an unprofessional snort.

"I was in the hospital for two weeks after fighting you that one time," Kakashi reminded him and something like regret flickered over Itachi's face almost too fast to catch.

"Ne Itachi-kun," Kakashi sighed. "Don't worry so much. You'll lose your youthful good looks and then what will happen?"

Itachi fought the urge to sigh. Kakashi had always been an admirable ninja, competent and loyal, but Itachi had almost forgotten how irritating the older man could be.

"Poor Sasuke will have to fight off the fangirls all by himself!" Naruto bemoaned, quick to join in the teasing and Itachi almost gave in to the urge to send her a betrayed look.

"Maybe we should impose a no-worrying rule?" Kakashi pretended to ponder the idea.

"When I'm Hokage I'll definitely pass such a rule. Just for you, of course, Itachi!" She beamed at the Uchiha with such jubilant innocence that Kakashi had to cough to stifle a laugh.

Itachi stared at them both for a long moment, his lips pressed tightly together, before realising that there was no reasonable response he could make. Turning on his heel, he body flickered to his apartment without saying a word. He desperately needed a shower. Naruto lapsed into peals of laughter the moment he laughed and even Kakashi was grinning beneath his mask.

"I think you're good for him, Naruto-chan," Kakashi admitted and Naruto smiled at her sensei.

"Well I think it's high time Itachi had some fun. He's sacrificed so much, he deserves to be happy," she said.

Her features softened into a fond look as she spoke, some unreadable emotion clouding her eyes and Kakashi immediately saw what Iruka had only hinted at before. Uzumaki Naruto was head over heels for Uchiha Itachi and anyone who bothered to look could see it.

~O

Sasuke wanted to hit something. Or rather someone. Since that someone in question was his older brother, this wasn't exactly a new urge for him. It was actually quite mild in comparison to the homicidal rage the mere thought of Itachi had invoked in Sasuke for years. That being said, right this moment, Sasuke really wanted to bash his brother's head into a wall.

It was the evening of Naruto's housewarming and what seemed like half of Konoha had gathered in the dead-last's new house. It was a pretty nice place, airy with three bedrooms and it's own garden, and located in a very upmarket area of Konoha. While Naruto complained that it was too big for her the fact remained that it was the official residence of the Hokage in training and this was the first time in history a ninja had claimed that title at the ripe age of nineteen. It was taken for granted that a person would be married with kids by the time they'd become accomplished enough to lead an entire village.

Naruto's unsurprising ability to surprise everyone aside, the guests were all dressed to the nines. Sakura had even forced Sasuke into fancy trousers and a silk shirt and as Sasuke's eyes travelled over the crowd, it lingered for a moment on the way Hinata's floor length gown was slit almost to the hip up one side and exposed a tantalising glimpse of leg whenever she moved. Naruto still hadn't shown her face but Sasuke had seen Ino and Sakura ambush her. Both girls had been armed with armfuls of grooming products at the time so Sasuke had a pretty good had idea of what the holdup was.

Then his eyes landed on Itachi and the skank hanging off his arm and Sasuke scowled. For someone who was so skilled at deception, Itachi was an open book when it came to Naruto. He actually _talked_ to her. If that wasn't a dead giveaway that he was hot for her then Sasuke didn't know what was. So he'd told Itachi to go for it because Naruto was just as obvious and the two idiots deserved each other. Somehow that had translated to Itachi bringing a _date_ to Naruto's housewarming. If Sasuke had misread the signs and Itachi was hooking up with someone from before, someone he'd held a long burning torch for then Sasuke might have understood. But no, instead he shows up with a nobody Hyūga nobody had ever heard of before. Suddenly, Naruto's wariness around Nanami made a lot more sense.

"What the heck is your brother doing?" A voice hissed into Sasuke's ear and he glanced down to see Sakura had joined him at some point and was glaring at Itachi and Nanami.

"How the hell am I supposed to know?" Sasuke retorted and his eyes narrowed when Nanami placed a hand on Itachi's arm and smiled up at him and _Itachi allowed it_. He turned his back on the couple before he decided that fratricide was a fantastic idea after all.

"I thought Itachi was crushing on Naruto?" Sakura persisted and Sasuke merely grunted in reply.

He was through talking about this. After the party was over, Sasuke would corner Itachi and beat some sense into his thick skull. A loud wolf-whistle split the air right then and Sasuke's eyebrows lifted in surprise when he realised that Naruto had joined them Kiba was showing his appreciation for Sakura and Ino's hard work. Clad in a tiny dress and heels, with her unruly hair tamed into curls, Naruto really did clean up good.

"Good job, Sakura," Sasuke congratulated her as he watched the way Itachi went very, very still and couldn't seem to tear his eyes away from Naruto.

"It's amazing what a miniskirt and low neckline can do," Sakura smirked and Sasuke returned it before they both turned to watch the scene unfold.

"Yo, Uzumaki! Looking good!" Kiba slung an arm over his friend's shoulder and leered at her.

Naruto debated punching him for a second before she spotted the teasing gleam in his eyes and the way his lips twitched with suppressed laughter and she decided to play along.

"You don't look too bad yourself, dog-breath," Naruto admitted as she gave him the once over.

"Who's the lucky lady you've gotten all jazzed up for?"

"Why Naru-chan, you know you're the only one for me!" Kiba declared and batted his lashes at her with such exaggeration that the people around them laughed.

"Aw, snookums! Your confessions make me weak in the knees!" Naruto pretended to swoon but she could only hold the pose for a fraction of a second before collapsing into giggles.

Kiba was similarly affected, his gruff chuckles underlying Naruto's surprisingly musical laughter and drawing smiles from the crowd around them.

"Kiba-kun has a point," Hinata said as she approached the duo and handed Naruto a lace embroidered handkerchief to wipe the laughter-induced tears from her eyes.

"You look beautiful Naruto-chan, although if you keep laughing like that you're going to ruin your makeup."

"It must be bad if Hinata-chan is scolding me about it," Naruto teased, causing the Hyūga to blush slightly but she held firm.

"Sakura-chan and Ino-chan did a good job," Hinata said. "It'll be a shame to let all their hard work go to waste."

"You're right as always, Hinata!" Naruto grinned. "But you look amazing as well. In fact," leaning forward Naruto whispered in Hinata's ear, too low for even Kiba to pick up, "Sasuke's been staring at your ass all this time."

Blood rushed straight to Hinata's face and she clapped her hands over her cheeks in a futile attempt to hide the reaction. Naruto laughed while Kiba narrowed his eyes in suspicion and Hinata visibly fought the urge to turn around and verify Naruto's statement for herself.

"Naruto," a low, gravelly voice interrupted before Kiba could interrogate the girls about what they were talking about and Naruto turned to smile at the Kazekage.

"Gaara," she leaned up to hug her friend. "Thanks for coming, I know it was difficult to wrangle time away from Suna."

"Kankuro was more than happy to take over for a few days. He's been on a lot of missions lately and this will at least keep him in the village," Gaara assured her. "You look well, Naruto."

"Thank you," Naruto couldn't help smile at his sincerity. "How long are you staying for?"

"Just two nights," Gaara said. His tilted his head and glanced from Naruto to Sasuke, who was smirking at him, to Itachi, whose face was typically expressionless but had a girl on his arm, and back to Naruto just in time to see the blonde jinchūriki glancing away from Itachi and his lady friend, her lashes lowered to cover shadowed eyes.

"Naruto, would you like to dance?" Gaara eventually said and Naruto glanced up at him, surpris

ed but she quickly agreed.

"I didn't think you'd be someone who enjoyed dancing," Naruto admitted as Gaara pulled her towards a space that had been cleared for such an activity.

"I have had to learn as part of my official duties but I think that dancing with you will be much more enjoyable," Gaara said, garnering a peal of laughter from Naruto.

The music was upbeat but it switched to a slow song just then and Gaara placed his hands on her hips, urging her closer. A bit bemused at how comfortable he seemed in such a scenario, Naruto complied and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Congratulations, Naruto," Gaara smiled down at her. "I have no doubt that you will be the best Hokage Konoha has ever seen."

Naruto beamed up at him, thoroughly charmed, and didn't notice when Gaara's hand slipped possessively from her hip to the small of her back. Naruto launched into a dialog of how boring paperwork was but how awesome the ANBU session she'd watched was and paid no attention to the way Gaara smirked at someone over her shoulder.

The Kazekage was a smart man and he knew Naruto well. Watching the way Naruto flinched from the site of Itachi and the girl he was with, and also the way Sasuke was glaring at his brother was enough to give him a pretty good idea of what was happening. Naruto was one the most important people in his life and he would do almost anything to ensure her happiness. If that meant making idiot Uchiha mad with jealousy then so be it. It was Gaara's pleasure and his privilege.


	6. Take Me Into Your Loving Arms

She didn't know where it had all gone wrong.

The party was in full swing and had turned out to be a roaring success...for the most part. The Konoha twelve were a naturally rowdy bunch and when they were all gathered together like that there was little that could keep their spirits down.

Kiba had spiked the drinks in his umpteenth attempt to get Naruto drunk but had only succeeded in getting everyone else smashed. Hinata, with atypical inebriated courage, had dragged Sasuke onto the dance floor and later that night Naruto had found the two making out in her study. Lee had broken his ankle with his insane dance moves and was going to spend the next couple of weeks in crutches. Kakashi and Iruka had commandeered one of her spare rooms earlier in the evening and had yet to reappear and the rest of the Rookie Nine were embroiled in a hilarious game of drunken twister. Even the balance and agility of a ninja did you no good when you were trashed.

Everyone seemed to be having a blast, with one glaring exception. Itachi had barely said two words to anyone all night. He'd stuck close to Nanami and yet still somehow managed to avoid Naruto every time she planned to talk to him. Naruto's eyes narrowed as she watched the Uchiha in question make his way to the kitchen, presumably for more drinks, and she seized the opportunity. As quickly, and stealthily as she could, Naruto excused herself from her conversation with Shizune and followed him, only speaking when Itachi was reaching for more soda.

"Are you enjoying yourself, Itachi?" Naruto asked, her face as innocent as only a master prankster's could be.

The only sign that Itachi was surprised by her presence was the way his eyes slid to the side to meet her own.

"Hn," Itachi grunted his affirmative and Naruto fought the urge to grit her teeth.

"Ne, are you alright?" she asked instead, her brows furrowing with genuine concern. "Nobody's been giving you any trouble have they?"

It might have been a silly question to ask given that anyone with the ability to actually trouble Uchiha Itachi had absolutely zero inclination to do so but Itachi _was_ acting strange and Naruto couldn't really think of any other reason why. The look Itachi gave her was so blank, so reminiscent of his Akatsuki days that Naruto actually took a step back, her eyes widening in shock. Without another word, Itachi brushed past Naruto and left the kitchen, rejoining Nanami and handing her a fresh drink.

Naruto stood, rooted to the spot, unable to properly process what had just occurred. Itachi had brushed her off! Not for one moment since his return to Konoha had Itachi been anything less than attentive and now he'd just brushed her off like she was some...some… _stranger!_ Her hands clenched into fists at her side and she dropped her head, letting her bangs fall forward to shadow her eyes. To be dismissed so easily by a friend really, really sucked. Why the hell did she bother with those Goddamn Uchiha's in the first place?

Never in her life had Naruto been so glad that Kakashi-sensei used to set such outrageously early times for Team 7 to meet at. Sure, he was always late, but they'd never had that luxury and the habit had somehow become ingrained in Naruto to rise with the sun. She'd had a restless night, tossing and turning and managing to snag a few scant hours of sleep before she was awake, her mind unable to rest.

Most of the Rookie Nine had spent the night and were sprawled across the sofas and floor of her living room and Naruto had rolled her eyes at them but hadn't had the heart to wake anyone up. She just wasn't in the mood to deal with hangovers right now so she slipped out of the house and made her way to the Hokage tower.

Because Lady Luck _never_ smiled on Naruto, she met Itachi on her way in. She slowed to a stop, staring at Itachi and finding herself intimidated by the man for the first time in years. Naruto bit her lip, her shoulders tensing as she tried to figure out what to do. Normally she would have bounced up to Itachi and talked his ears off but he looked so unapproachable right then. Naruto needn't have worried, however, since Itachi ended up making the decision for her as he continued on his way, brushing past her without a word and Naruto had to stop herself from turning around and calling out to him. It wasn't _her_ fault Itachi had suddenly become some sort of...of pod person! Naruto had done nothing wrong and she was through chasing after angsty, emo Uchiha's. If Itachi had a problem, he could damn well solve it himself.

Anger simmering inside her, mixing with the confusion she felt at Itachi's change in attitude and a sort of helpless devastation because she didn't know _why_ he was mad at her, Naruto felt like she was about to explode so she changed her course and headed for a training ground instead. Flooding the area with shadow clones, she punched and kicked her way through them for over an hour and, by the time she was done, Naruto had made a dent in working out the frustration that made her skin itch.

Ideally she would have liked to spend the entire morning at the training ground but she had her Assistant Hokage duties to attend to and just didn't have the time. With a sigh, Naruto dismissed her remaining clones and turned to make her way to the tower. Thoughts of Itachi still plagued her mind and as a result she was paying much less attention to her surroundings than she should have been. Still, even that would not normally have been enough to catch Naruto off-guard but it was a testament to just how upset Naruto was at Itachi's behaviour that the senbon was embedded in her neck before she even felt it coming. A brief flare of panic shot through Naruto and then her mind blanked out and she crumbled, unconscious before she even hit the ground.

~O

Uchiha Itachi was furious.

His expression remained impassive but searing, white hot rage caused his fists to clench at his sides, the only clue to his emotional state. Itachi hadn't been this angry since he'd heard about Orochimaru's plans for Sasuke but he did little to quell the feeling. Someone had kidnapped Naruto. For that, they would feel the full force of his wrath. Next to him, Sasuke was practically vibrating with the urge to hit something. There was no way this was anything other than an inside job. Konoha's defences were too high for it to be anything else.

"I don't have to tell you lot what to do," Tsunade said as she eyed the gathered group. Kakashi, Itachi, Sasuke, Shikamaru, Hinata and Sakura. No, she definitely didn't have to tell them what to do.

"Team 8 have been been tasked with tracking and report that Naruto is about three to four hours east of Konoha. Your mission is to meet up with them and bring Naruto back through any means necessary. Leave one of the kidnappers alive for interrogation. This cannot be allowed to happen again."

"Understood, Hokage-sama," the group chorused and, as one, body flickered out of the office.

The group fell seamlessly into formation as they sped through the trees, all of them completely focused on the task at hand.

"What could have distracted Naruto so badly that this could happen?" Sakura wondered out loud as they raced towards their destination. Her voice was a low murmur but, in the still silence of the surrounding forest, it was easily heard by the rest of the group.

Nobody answered but Itachi's lips thinned even further. Naruto's expression the last time he'd seen her was seared into his mind, her eyes shadowed, wary and watchful. It had been so long since Naruto had been anything less than completely open with him that Itachi had let his irritation rule his actions and had left without speaking to her. The complete opposite of his original intentions.

He knew he had explanations to give. He had hurt Naruto with his behaviour at her party and that was unforgivable. She had done nothing wrong, had been _concerned_ about him and he'd let his jealousy override his good sense and now Naruto was walking on eggshells around him. She was the most stubborn person in all of the Elemental Nations but Itachi, genius, prodigal, murderer that he was, had managed to completely ostracize her in the space of a few hours.

He had been so taken aback by the strength of the emotions that had risen in him when Naruto, dressed in a skimpy little dress that showed off _so much skin_ , had laughed and smiled and let _other men_ touch her that Itachi had let his base instincts take over. He paid no heed to the fact that these men were some of Naruto's oldest and closest friends. All that mattered was that they weren't him. It was the first time in his entire life that Itachi had allowed his emotions to rule over his logic and, at that moment, it was his biggest regret. Had he used his brain he would have stayed and talked to Naruto and she wouldn't be in this position right now.

Almost unconsciously, Itachi picked up the pace and the rest of the group exchanged glances before following his lead. They were all worried about their friend after all. It wasn't long before the group had caught up to Team 8, then reached their destination and slowed to a stop, all of them fighting their instincts and staying back to observe the situation before charging in. The Konoha ninja were high in the tree tops, standing over a clearing and obscured by the forestry and the scene they had come upon made Sasuke put his fist through a tree. Naruto was still unconscious, sprawled on her back with her hair spilling across the ground, and five Iwa-ninja were surrounding her. Even from their high vantage point, the lustful looks on the Iwa nin's faces were easily discernable.

"They're missing nin," Kakashi said. "I recognize their faces from the Bingo Book."

"Troublesome," Shikamaru noted. "These guys are all B-ranked at best. It is unlikely they have a clear leader."

"So they should all have equal knowledge of who hired them and for what purpose?" Sasuke confirmed.

Shikamaru had barely finished nodding his confirmation before Sasuke and Itachi disappeared from their spots and reappeared amongst the group from Iwa. A heartbeat later there was total carnage. The brother's tore through the kidnappers before the Konoha ninja could even assimilate what was happening and under a minute later the Iwa nin were dog-food and the lone, unlucky survivor was screaming himself hoarse, caught in Itachi's genjutsu. Kakashi allowed himself a brief surge of satisfaction because Tsukuyomi was terrifying at best and Kakashi had no doubt that Itachi had inflicted the most horrifying vision he could think of that would allow the Iwa nin to remain sane enough to be interrogated.

"You guys could have left some of them for us," Kiba complained as the rest of the Konoha team joined the Uchiha's on the ground.

Itachi and Sasuke ignored him but Sakura punched Kiba for his tactlessness. The group surveyed the damage as Sasuke flicked a bit of flesh from his katana with a sneer and Itachi and Sakura moved to check on Naruto. Sakura was worried enough about Naruto that she had no trouble concentrating on the task at hand but the rest of the group were a bit uncomfortable under the very clear 'stay away' vibes Itachi was broadcasting.

Hinata went to work sealing their captive's chakra points while Team 8 kept a lookout in case the Iwa ninja had backup. Shikamaru and Shino sorted through the kidnappers' belongings for anything even remotely relevant and Kakashi and Sasuke ignored Itachi and peered over Sakura's shoulder to see what she was doing.

"It's a slow acting poison tailored specifically towards a jinchūriki's fast healing," Sakura eventually pronounced. "Thankfully it seems like they wanted Naruto alive because the poison seems to serve no other purpose other than that of a sedative."

"Can we move her?" Sasuke asked and, as soon as Sakura had given her approval, Itachi was gathering Naruto into his arms and the Uchiha brothers were making their way back to Konoha without waiting for anyone else.

"Hinata, go with them," Kakashi ordered. "The rest of us will secure this area then follow you."

Hinata nodded her understanding then was disappearing into the trees, her hair flying out behind her as she raced to catch up to Sasuke and Itachi. Itachi had Naruto slung over his back, her arms over his shoulders and his own arms hooked under her knees. They glanced at Hinata when she caught up to them but made no other move to acknowledge her presence and the trio were silent as they hurried home.

Tsunade was waiting for them at the hospital and Itachi's heart was in his throat as he lowered Naruto to a bed and watched Tsunade approach, her hands glowing and her brow furrowed. Hinata dragged Sasuke out to the waiting area but Itachi moved to a corner of the room where he wouldn't be in the way and refused to budge. Tsunade glared at him but, apparently, realised that he wasn't going to move and pretty much ignored Itachi as she worked on Naruto. Time passed in irregular bursts, seeming to drag by one moment and the speed by the next, so only the position of the sun in the sky told Itachi that not even half an hour had passed before Tsunade straightened, the glow fading from her hands and her shoulders slumping in relief.

"Sakura's diagnosis was correct," Tsunade told Itachi. "She's just been heavily sedated. In an hour or two Naruto will be awake and we can punch her for being so careless."

Itachi didn't say anything but he slid closer to the bed, sliding into a seat on the side opposite the door and folding his arms over his chest. Tsunade almost snorted but Itachi's eyes were trained on Naruto, his face so carefully inscrutable, that she thought better of it. Leaving the Uchiha to his brooding, Tsunade quietly left the room to inform the rest of the rescue group how Naruto was doing and also to keep them out of the room for some time. Tsunade might not have had much time (or respect) for gossip but she knew when two people _really needed to talk._

Silence reigned in the room. Naruto was dead to the world and Itachi wasn't a talkative person. His eyes lingered on the way Naruto's hair spilled across the pillow, the curves and dips of her jaw as it bled into her throat, then her collar-bones, then the swell of her breasts, the deceptive fragility of her wrists and the pout of her full lips as they parted to draw in air. Helpless frustration clogged his throat and Itachi dropped his head into his hands, gripping his hair as tightly as he could and using the pain to distract him from the urge to scream.

Naruto should never, under any circumstances, be so _still_! It almost went against the rules of nature to see someone so vibrant and full of life brought down so much, forced into such an unnatural state. Logically, he knew Naruto would be okay. No harm had come to her and she would be bouncing around the village, a whirl of blonde hair and laughter in no time at all. Emotionally, it was a completely different matter. He just could keep himself from thinking 'what if', from imagining just how badly things could have gone, or from running over scenario after scenario where they found Naruto in a much less favourable state. Had they taken even twenty minutes longer, they could have arrived on a very different scene. Naruto was a beautiful woman and it had been clear that the Iwa nin that had kidnapped her had been very, very aware of this fact. Itachi shuddered to think what they might have done whilst Naruto was vulnerable and unable to defend herself.

Screwing his eyes shut and gritting his teeth, Itachi tightened his grip on his hair. He stayed like that for a moment, hunched in on himself and trying desperately not to punch a hole through the wall and get banned from the hospital. Then all the tension drained from his body and he slumped, dark eyes drifting once more towards the bed. Taking a deep breath, Itachi reached out and laced his fingers through Naruto's. He remembered waking after the battle with Obito to voices in his room and calloused fingers brushing over his own. He remembered that his eyelashes felt like they were coated in molasses when he tried to pry them open and he remembered that, when he finally did, he was rewarded with the vision of surprised blue eyes and a delighted grin.

An itchy sort of restlessness suddenly overtook Itachi and he didn't think he could bear to stay in the room for a moment longer. What was he doing, waiting at Naruto's bedside like a worried lover? He had no claim over her and, with his recent behaviour, any attempts to rectify that would probably not go over very well. Itachi already knew that The Fates hated him but such knowledge was reinforced when, in a parody of what had happened in a different hospital room all those weeks ago, a hand clamped around Itachi's wrist. His heart pounded in his chest and he moved closer, then paused, overcome with uncharacteristic hesitation.

"Itachi?" Naruto's voice was hoarse as her eyes blinked open and her face creased with confusion. "What…?" she trailed off, eyes widening as her memory caught up to her and her hand flew towards her neck.

"Oh balls!" Naruto swore. "I was poisoned! Inside the village!"

There was a silence for a moment as Naruto's brain fully caught up with her memories and she cursed herself for getting so distracted she didn't see such a simple attack coming.

"Where are those bastards?" Naruto scowled as she jumped out of bed. "I'm gonna rip them a new asshole."

So caught up was Naruto in her indignation that she failed to realise that Itachi had still not spoken a word. It was only when she suddenly found her way blocked by broad shoulders clad in a jounin vest that her eyes flickered up to meet Itachi's and her tirade stuttered to a halt. She took in the way his palms were clenched into fists, the tense line of his shoulders and the dark, indiscernible emotions blazing in his eyes.

"Ne, Itachi, are you okay?" Naruto asked, her voice dropping slightly as hesitation flooded her.

They hadn't exactly been on speaking terms the last time she'd seen him and his behaviour right now was kind of strange. Itachi remained silent, his lips thinning as he stared down at her and Naruto sighed as realisation dawned.

"You're still angry," Naruto huffed and averted her eyes and so she missed the way Itachi's own eyes widened in surprise.

"I don't know what's gotten you all worked up," Naruto complained as she tried to find the words to apologise without really knowing what she was apologising for. "You should just come out and say why you're mad at me so I can apologise already. All this silent treatm-nngh!"

Naruto was cut off when Itachi's fingers lifted her chin and tilted her face towards his own before his lips swooped down to cover hers. For a long moment Naruto was frozen in shock. Itachi was kissing her. Itachi was kissing _her_! Then one of his arms wound round her waist, pulling her firmly against him and the other tangled in her hair, angling her head just so. His teeth caught and pulled at her bottom lip before his tongue came out to soothe the bite and Naruto melted. Her eyes fluttered shut, her hands claiming fistfuls of his vest and she let out a little moan of encouragement as her body melded to his and her lips parted in silent permission.

Itachi wasted no time in deepening the kiss, framing her face with his hands, he held her in place and kissed as if it was the last chance he'd get to do so. For all he knew, it might well be. Soon Naruto would come to her senses and push him away. What kind of asshole ambushes a girl with a kiss after giving her the cold shoulder anyway? Yet another example of how Itachi had a very special place in hell reserved just for him. He hadn't meant to be so brazen, he'd just been so _angry_ when Naruto had started apologising, and he was so _relieved_ that she was alright that he'd acted on the need for oxygen proved too strong and he broke away, wanting to immediately kiss Naruto again when he took in her flushed cheeks and swollen lips.

Naruto, for her part, was every bit as flustered as she looked. Itachi had a way of turning her world upside down and this hot-and-cold attitude of his had her so twisted up in knots that she had no idea where she stood with him. Naruto didn't think she could be blamed for her confusion. She was willing to bet even Shikamaru would be hard pressed to explain Itachi's recent behaviour. She lowered her gaze to get some reprieve from Itachi's piercing stare and used the time to gather her thoughts into something resembling coherence. Letting the silence stretch, Naruto's eyes drifted towards the window and widened as she watched a Hyuga jounin sprint across the rooftops, his long hair flying behind him, a glaring reminder of one of the biggest reasons she was so at odds with Itachi right now.

"I never took you for a cheater," Naruto said as she stepped away from him and Itachi couldn't contain his surprise.

"And what exactly am I cheating at, Naruto?" Itachi demanded.

"Not a what, more of a who," Naruto crossed her arms over her chest and fought the urge to scuff her feet. "Have you forgotten about Nanami already? You know, your girlfriend?"

Such was the depth of Itachi's surprise that the silence was becoming increasingly comfortable and Naruto was about to excuse herself and leave the room before he regained the ability to talk.

"I do not know who told you that I was dating Hyūga Nanami but I assure you, they were lying" Itachi told her and Naruto frowned.

"Nobody told me, I could see for myself. It's obvious to pretty much everyone so I don't know why you're denying it," she told him.

"Please enlighten me then as to what makes it so obvious that we are in a relationship because this is news to me," Itachi managed to keep his voice even but only through sheer force of will.

This conversation was not one he had seen coming and the way Naruto refused to believe him made Itachi want to punch a hole in the wall. Perhaps he and Sasuke weren't so different after all.

"You spend all your time with her," Naruto pointed out.

"That is because Nanami is helping me with a project," Itachi told her.

For a moment, Naruto just stared at him and then she realized that he really _didn't_ know how that sounded. On almost anybody else, that statement could be taken at face value but this was an Uchiha they were talking about. Like hell Sasuke or Itachi would accept help from a complete stranger. Also, he was forgetting that Naruto now knew, or had access to, the assignments past and current of every ninja in Konoha. Itachi didn't have any projects to work on. He was on training leave, getting himself accustomed to fighting with his full vision again and at a level acceptable for ANBU. Nanami was a talented ninja but if Itachi wanted the talents of a Hyūga then there were others more suited to the task. Naruto could think of three of them that were already in ANBU and none were Neji.

"Itachi," Naruto sighed. "That's really what you're going with? She's helping you with some un-named project?"

Itachi's frown deepened but he didn't speak and Naruto rolled her eyes.

"Okay, whatever," she eventually said. "We'll just chalk this entire day up to temporary insanity."

She tried to brush past him then, and leave the room, but his hand clamped around the top of her arm and dragged her in front of him once more.

"You don't believe me," Itachi accused and Naruto's patience reached its limit.

"Of course I don't believe you!" she exploded. "The two of you might be glued at the hips but just a couple of weeks ago Nanami was a total stranger to you, Itachi! Now you say you're working on a 'project' when I _know_ that you don't have any assignments at the moment. Who the hell do you think you're trying to fool!"

For a moment Itachi didn't so much as blink but then the tension drained out of him and he glanced away. If Naruto didn't know any better she'd say he almost looked embarrassed.

"Hyūga Nanami is the most accomplished piano player in Konoha," Itachi said and Naruto blinked at the seeming non-sequitur.

"She's teaching me," he clarified.

"What?" Naruto managed to say once she'd gotten over her shock at his admission. "She's teaching you to play the piano? Why the hell didn't you say so in the first place!"

"I wanted it to be a surprise," Itachi said and Naruto's confusion deepened.

"I don't get it," she told him.

For a moment Itachi just looked at her then he seemed to come to some kind of a decision and he moved closer, forcing Naruto to crane her neck to look up at him.

"You don't know this," Itachi's voice was low, and smooth like velvet, caressing her skin much like his fingers did as he raised a hand to cup her jaw.

"But I remember everything."

"Everything?" Naruto managed to get out.

"Yes," Itachi stepped even closer. "From when I was unconscious after our battle with Obito. You came to visit me and you would talk. I remember everything that you said."

Naruto's heartbeat tripled its pace even as the blood drained from her face and she temporarily lost track of everything except the panic swelled up in her throat, threatening to choke her. He'd heard what she said. Itachi had _heard what she said_ and he _remembered_ everything. Why the hell hadn't he had her committed to a mental asylum yet? Naruto had rambled, saying whatever came to mind, and she had no doubt that the resulting narrative sounded like that of a crazy person.

"Naruto," Itachi said, effortlessly pulling her attention back to him. "You are the most genuinely unselfish person I have ever met. Your attention span is atrocious and you have some of the most ludicrous ideas but you're kind and intelligent and beautiful and I love you."

Time seemed to stop.

Naruto stopped breathing.

Even Itachi seemed surprised by what he had just admitted but in the next moment he had regained control and continued speaking.

"This was not how I planned on confessing," Itachi explained. "You talked about ramen so much that I had to taste it and you were right, it's delicious. Although it's probably not something I'd indulge in too often. You also mentioned that Izakoi Kanami was the most talented and affordable tailor you'd come across and he is truly much cheaper than the one the Uchiha's used to visit and his work is of a much higher quality. You said that the view of the sunset from the trees bordering Training Ground 13 was unparalleled and again you were right."

He paused, took a breath, seemingly undecided as to how to continue and Naruto found herself stunned.

Her lips parted, although she had no idea what she was about to say, but Itachi brushed his fingers over them and the words were stolen from her before they even formed.

"You were right about so many things that I knew you'd be right about this too. Nanami has informed me that I have a natural gift for the piano," he smirked then, all smug confidence that came from being prodigious at pretty much everything he'd ever attempted and Naruto couldn't back a fond huff of laughter.

"I wanted to become proficient enough to surprise you with a song," Itachi admitted and Naruto couldn't help herself.

Her heart had swelled with his words, uncharacteristically verbose but so heartfelt that she was certain that, even if she hadn't already been head over heels for this amazing, _amazing_ man, she would have fallen right there and then.

Standing on her tiptoes she reached up to wind her arms around his neck and bring his lips down to meet her own. Itachi responded immediately, wrapping his arms around her waist had hauling her up and off her feet to make the kiss more comfortable. His lips moved over her own with surprising skill considering he couldn't have been all that experienced and she actually groaned when his teeth scraped across her bottom lip.

"I wasn't finished," Itachi said as they broke for air though his gaze was fixed firmly on her mouth.

"I don't care," Naruto replied and pulled him into another kiss.

That was how the rest of their friends found them when they piled into Naruto's room to check if she was awake.

"Well it's about damn time!" Ino huffed, throwing her hands in the air.

"Really, Naruto," Sakura shook her head. "You sure did take your time."

"Congratulation, Naruto-chan," Hinata smiled at Naruto as they both ignored the jeers and teasing of their friends. "And you too Itachi-san."

"Thanks Hinata," Naruto grinned as she slipped her hand into Itachi's and he allowed her to do so.

"Now, don't we have some ninja to go interrogate?"

"You should hurry if you want to talk to the prisoner while he is still conscious," Shikamaru told her. "Anko and Ibiki have already started the interrogation process."

That provoked a round of complaints and people began to file out of the room, rolling up their metaphorical sleeves and chatting about the hurt they would visit on the ninja stupid enough to kidnap Naruto. Soon only Sasuke was left and Naruto raised an eyebrow, refusing to to be embarrassed about getting caught kissing her best friend's brother.

"What do you want, bastard?" Naruto asked as she crossed her arms over her chest.

Sasuke merely stared at them for a moment before turning and leaving the room, as explicit a sign of his approval as they were ever gonna get. Naruto rolled her eyes at his behaviour since she knew he'd done it just to be infuriating but, in the next moment, Itachi had her pressed up against the wall.

"We were interrupted earlier," he said and then he was kissing the life out of her and all thoughts of Sasuke (and everyone else) fled from her mind.

* * *

 **AN:** _So that's if folks. I plan to write a smutty epilogue/sequel and a full sequel as well because there's still some things left unresolved in this fic (like who hired those Iwa nin). If there's anything you want to see in the sequel then let me know and I'll see if I can work it in :)_


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